The Return of Jack Sparrow
by Queen of the Caribbean
Summary: COMPLETE Jack Sparrow, Anamaria, the Black Pearl and its crew disappeared into the Bermuda Triangle. Twenty years later, they're back, and Jack has a new treasure to go after, along with his son, Jamie, and Will's daughter Louisa.
1. Chapter 1: A Big Move

Disclaimer: I don't own the obvious ones, but if anyone were willing to get me an early birthday present, I wouldn't object! I also borrowed a phrase from somewhere, "Your path is already laid before you, and all you have to do is follow your feet" (or words to that effect). I can't remember where I read it, but I don't own it.  
  
Summary: 20 years after POTC. Jack returned a year after the end of POTC and Will became his first mate when Anamaria left (for an unexplained reason) and Gibbs went back to Tortuga. Elizabeth stayed on land, at an island claimed by Will and Jack as their docking point, to look after her and Will's children (twins; a girl, Louisa, and a boy, William), born almost three years after she and Will married. When Will stayed at the island when Elizabeth became sick, Jack disappeared, and took the Pearl, and Anamaria (who'd rejoined him at that point) with him. Will continued piracy, after commandeering the Dauntless. It was still the main ship in the fleet.  
  
Chapter 1: A Big Move  
  
"Mother! I've forgotten it all! How can I pass through if I can't remember anything?" Louisa called out from her room. Elizabeth put away the dress she'd been holding, remembering old times at Port Royal.  
  
Louisa Turner was nearly seventeen, and ready to set sail on her own adventure. However, she'd forgotten what had been written on the list of things to do her father had given her before he'd left several weeks ago. The list was a list of instructions that would be her ticket to a life on the land.  
  
"Mother! Do you remember what was on it?" Louisa asked as she ran into the room. Elizabeth shook her head. "No, I don't remember what was on it, because you and your father never tell me your plans. I didn't actually see the list, but if you just use your common knowledge, then you'll be fine. Your father doesn't have any scars or brands, so everything should go to plan when you reach Port Royal - I *do* know the basics of this plan," she defended herself when Louisa sent her an accusing glance.  
  
"Well, can you tell me the basics? Please? I can't remember anything!" she begged, sitting down on her parents' bed. Elizabeth smiled, and sat down next to her.  
  
"You and your father, and the crew, head into Port Royal flying the ragged sails, in the older ship, so it looks like you've been attacked. The report is given that pirates attacked the ship, though it was well armed. The pirates were sunk, but only after they'd recaptured the hostages on board - namely you, wearing an old shift and no shoes, Lonigan, and Barraway. Lonigan and Barraway have their papers, so they will be able to pass as Englishmen interrupted on their voyage.  
  
'You do not have any papers, so Lonigan and Barraway will tell the authorities that you were already on board when they were captured, and were not able to tell them anything, as you did not remember. However, once you've been at Port Royal for several weeks, you will recognize the name Elizabeth (which is sure to be mentioned by someone - there are hundreds of Elizabeth's at Port Royal), and will follow leads that will take you to Governor Swann. You are to then reveal that you are my daughter, and you set out from England.  
  
'And you must remember to watch your mouth! You are a lady, not a scallywag, savvy?"  
  
Louisa nodded, and pulled her mother into a hug. "Of course, I'll remember!" she pulled away, and looked at her hands. "Mother, I'm going to miss you, and Will, and I don't know when I'll ever see you again."  
  
Elizabeth pulled her daughter into a hug. "You will see us all again, I promise. You know your father always goes into Port Royal when he leaves here, and now that I'm getting rid of you, I can go in myself - but it will hurt not to be able to see father again, but that is the price we pay for those we love."  
  
Louisa stood, and started to head back out to her own room. However, once she reached the door, something triggered her memory. "Mother... we don't *have* an old ship, *or* ragged sails!" Elizabeth smiled. "Why do you think your father left early?"  
  
Louisa grinned, and ran from the room, nearly toppling her brother off his feet as he headed towards their mother's room. "Watch it, sis. Ye ain't on board yet, an' ye cannae run like that on a ship, even if ye do have remarkable balance." William Turner Junior was the spitting image of his father, and found it rather hard to hide the mixture of accents he'd gathered since he started traveling with his father.  
  
Louisa, who hadn't been allowed to go on many trips (and had been very annoyed about that) had learned to hide her own accents, and Elizabeth had taught her to be a lady. It did come in handy, for when she was able to go into land. But she'd also learned quite a few bad habits from the pirate crew - such as pick pocketing, how to lie properly, and how to avoid questions. Another thing she'd learned how to do was hold her rum.  
  
Louisa righted herself, and glared at her brother. At almost 6 feet tall, he was taller than his father, and a force to be reckoned with. He positioned himself in front of her, blocking her way. At just over 5 feet tall, Louisa didn't look like much of a threat, but her brother knew her better than to assume she wouldn't do anything. "Will! Let me through or I'll tell father what ye did wi' his cache o' rum last week, just after he left!"  
  
Will laughed, and crossed his arms. "Belay that talk, sis. Ye ain't nothin' but a scurvy, bilge-sucking dog when it comes t' mutiny! Ye couldnae tell mother when I dinnae even touch the rum!"  
  
Louisa glared at her brother furiously. Her vocabulary was as extensive as his when it came to insults, but not when their mother was in hearing distance. She glanced back towards the room, where Elizabeth was now looking out the window almost in a daze, and then back to her brother with a look of excitement.  
  
"I'll have ye know, Will, that I ain't no bloody scurvy bilge-sucking dog when it comes t' rallyin' wi' ye in swords an' words. Ye can go keelhaul yeself for bein' such a poxy addlepate, an' maybe ye'll have enough up top to stop yeself from endin' up in Davy Jones Locker! An' if ye ain't had enough after that, ye can go kiss the gunner's daughter, savvy?"  
  
Will returned his sister's glare, and then started laughing. "Louisa, ye know I can never outlast ye when it comes t' rallyin' wi' words - swords is another matter - but I figured ye wouldna be ready yet, an' father's ship is sailin' towards us. P'raps ye'd best get what ye have to get t' take t' Port Royal - I don' expect father t' hang 'round fer long!"  
  
Louisa pushed past her brother to look out the window. Sure enough, the sails of two ships were heading towards the island. "Yike!" she cried, and ran to her room. Minutes later, she was back, and caught her brother in a hug. "Ye ain't too bad, Will. Ye'll go on the account well enough!" Will laughed, and hugged his sister back. "I'm hopin' so, sis. Now get yeself ready!"  
  
*****  
  
Coming home was always different. It was never the same after Jack disappeared - sure, he was able to take control of his own ship, and crew, but there was always something missing. Anamaria had seemed very different the last time he'd seen her, almost as though she'd been hiding something. Of course, at the time he'd been too busy worrying about Elizabeth's inability to conceive to worry about other things.  
  
The small island was coming into full view, and the crew was restless. They'd only spent three short weeks on ship, and many wanted to continue. It hadn't taken long to find the type of vessel they were after, an English transport ship, and it hadn't taken long to dispatch the few on board who caused trouble.  
  
Those who hadn't caused trouble were dealt with properly. They were set down on an island along a frequently traveled route. It wouldn't be more then a week before they were found, unless they tried something stupid like swimming for help. The ship, however, was in perfect condition for what they needed.  
  
They blasted a few holes in the side, almost completely destroyed the mast, and wrecked the sails. It really did look as though pirates had tried to board the ship (which they had) and the crew had managed to get rid of the pirates (which they hadn't).  
  
"Cap'n, the island's up ahead, we landin'?" asked Lonigan, one of the two crewmembers leaving for a period of rest on land. Will nodded. "Aye, both ships." He raised his voice to call out to the rest of his crew, "We restock, and leave the Dauntless at dock! Any man with a brand is t' stay - we cannot pass as an English ship with pirates aboard!" At this, the crew laughed. Will continued. "Ye've all got English clothes, an' if ye think ye comin', ye'd better have 'em on! Any mention o' Will Turner an ye'll be expectin' a taste o' the cat! Now, what ye all standin' round for? Get these ships docked!"  
  
The crew, though they easily outnumbered their captain, knew he never backed off his word, even when faced with a woman. They scampered back to their positions, and before too long, the two ships were sliding into a river passage.  
  
All along the river were houses and shacks - the homes of the crew, and their families. It was a free colony, with no 'governor' or 'army' except those who were there. On land, the Captain was the one in charge, and when he was away at sea, his wife took charge, or his son, if the son didn't go out with the ship. Women and children stopped work and ran along to the dock to see their men. Though it had been a short time away, they were all missed dreadfully.  
  
Will stood at the helm of the Dauntless, once the pride of the King's Navy, now the pride of the Caribbean pirates. His first mate, Dougal McKenzie, once a highlander now a seaman, stood at the helm of the English ship, the Endurance, as the ships were brought in. The women knew the drill - they weren't to go near the ships until the men were on the land. Will, when they'd first settled here, had almost drowned three women rushing to their men, and since then, they were always well back until the ship docked.  
  
Very few of the women knew his name was Will Turner - most called him Bootstrap, like his father had been called, and that was how it was staying. As usual, he was the first man to set foot on the dock, and as usual, he had no one to greet him. He specifically told Elizabeth to stay at their house, with Louisa and Will, no matter how much she wanted to see him. Several of the unmarried women would do anything to try to get Elizabeth out of the picture, but only when Bootstrap was on land.  
  
The crew landed, secured the ships, and turned to Will for instruction. "Ye can go, but be back by nightfall. We set sail then, and ye know what I told ye. Any man who cannot follow orders will expect a taste o' the cat!"  
  
The crew shouted their answers, and the women ran down onto the dock to meet their men. Will walked through the crowd, and headed to his own house. Elizabeth was nowhere to be seen, or Will, but Louisa was sitting on the front swing, reading. She looked up when she heard her father's feet on the verandah, and gave him an absent smile. Will was surprised. "What's this? No hug for your father?" he asked, acting as though he were insulted.  
  
Louisa grinned suddenly, dropped the book, and flew into her father's arms. "I'm glad you're back - now can we go?" she asked excitedly. Will laughed. "Not until nightfall, I'm afraid. The crew have to be allowed to spend time wi' their families, don' they? And I'm allowed to spend time wi' your mother, ain't I?" he asked, still laughing. Louisa smiled. "I guess, so get to it! Ye cannae spend time wi' m'ma if ye're standin' out here wi' me, can ye?"  
  
Will raised his eyebrow at his daughter's accent, and she laughed. It was always worth it to see his reaction to her brogue. Will walked inside the house, leaving Louisa to her book on the front verandah.  
  
Inside, Elizabeth was sitting near a window finishing her needlework. She didn't even turn around when Will walked over and stood behind her, blocking her light. "Move yourself, or there won't be any food for you when this is finished, Mr. Turner." Will laughed, and stooped down behind his wife, letting the light back through. "Aye, I'm sorry abou' that, Mrs. Turner. But ye cannae spare even a minute from your work to welcome your husband home?"  
  
Elizabeth couldn't hide her smile any longer. She put the needlework down, and stood up. Their hug was as usual - neither wanted to let go, in case it was all a dream. The ship always left in the middle of the night when everyone was sleeping. It helped a lot of the crew save face, to get away without being upset in front of their colleagues. Elizabeth always told him he wasn't forgiven when he did that, leaving without saying goodbye, but she always did. And he always promised that the next time would be different, but it never was.  
  
"How long do we have?" she whispered in his ear. He looked at his wife, and the smile he wore touched her mouth. "Until tonight," he whispered back. Elizabeth pulled him closer, and they stayed that way for a long time.  
  
Louisa and Will knew what their father's homecoming meant - every time it was the same. Will walked out to where his sister had gone back to reading her book. "Father's home?" he asked, and Louisa nodded. "Aye. Ye'll have t' go find somewhere else t' stay 'til this evening, and so will I, I guess." She looked up, and marked her book. "The ship leaves at nightfall. Are ye comin' wi' us t' Port Royal?" she asked, and Will nodded. "Aye, I'm comin'. But I'm stayin' clear o' the gaol, an' I'm comin' back wi' the crew."  
  
Louisa nodded. "I al'us knew ye would, Will. Ye've got the sea in ye veins, and father's blood is definitely yours. I don't know my path, but I'm glad ye've figured yours out."  
  
Will sat down next to his twin - they were best friends, and worst enemies at once. "Ye'll find ye path, Louisa, it's already laid out afore ye, and ye've only t' follow ye feet."  
  
Louisa smiled, and hugged her brother. Somehow, leaving didn't seem quite as bad now. 


	2. Chapter 2: Stranger on the Shore

Chapter 2: Stranger on the Shore  
  
The Ship set sail at nightfall, as promised, and quite a few members of the crew were missing. It really shed light on the matter of who were branded as pirates and who weren't. Wearing nothing but her shift, Louisa was glad they lived in the Caribbean - anywhere else, and she would have frozen to death.  
  
The ship, which was creaking in ways a ship shouldn't have, managed to get out of the river channel safely, and to find a fairly high wind. Who would've guessed that luck was with them?  
  
Standing at the helm, Will watched his daughter laughing with the crew, joking with her brother, and pretty much being as much of a pirate as them. Even wearing just the shift, which was still covering more than what she usually wore around, she looked different onboard a ship. As though she wasn't related to him.  
  
"Cap'n, we searched below the deck, in the brig, an' found somethin' we overlooked afore. Mail - an' it's all addressed t' Port Royal. They's expectin' a ship, sir, do we be rid ourselves of it?" Barraway asked, coming up behind his captain. Will turned, and glanced at the mail sack. "Keep it - we can say that we found the other ship, and the pirates that attacked us attacked them as well, though they dinnae come off as well as us. If there's anything addressed to Norrington, slip it under my cabin door. Same as for Governor Swann - savvy?"  
  
Barraway nodded, and trundled off with the bag. Louisa came up behind her father. "Can I steer?" she asked, and Will shook his head. "Not today, lassie. We got time t' catch up on, an' wi' ye steering, we ain't goin' anywhere."  
  
Louisa nodded, and went below deck. The rest of the crew followed soon after, and finally Will and McKenzie were left on deck. McKenzie took the helm for the first shift, and Will went below.  
  
As the Captain's daughter, Louisa warranted a cabin to herself, but she declined, saying that an English ship wouldn't keep a cabin spare in case they rescued a girl from out at sea in a pirate ship. Instead, she rigged up her own sleeping area in with the crew, where a rescued woman would usually sleep, and proceeded to make herself at home. The crew was rather alarmed at having to share their amenities with a woman, but they kept it to themselves. None of them would have dared to even look at her, knowing how protective her father was.  
  
**Two Weeks Later**  
  
"Land ho!" came the call from the crow's nest, and everyone swiveled round in the direction the man was pointing. Sure enough, Port Royal was coming into view, and Will hastily sent men to raise the white flag.  
  
Within moments, a navy vessel was heading towards them, and within the hour, both ships were level. "You there, what ails you? Why do you come to Port Royal?" called the military man from his position on the deck of the ship. Will called out, "We're the Endurance, set out from Ireland two months after the last fleet ship. We found the ruins of another ship, the Mainstream, still burnin', and rowed over. All we could salvage was a part-spilled bag o' mail, headed for here. Nigh on a week later, a ship overtook us - the Dauntless - and raised the pirate flag. We fought, and managed to sink her, though we lost a few men, supplies, and parts o' the ship. Afore we sunk her, though, we boarded, and found three hostages - a young lady, cannae be more than seventeen by look o' her, and two Englishmen, Michael Barraway, and Dougal Lonigan. They're on board, but the two men say that the lass wasnae onboard their ship, and had already been onboard when they was taken.  
  
'She couldnae tell us anything, 'cept three words - parley, and Port Royal. We figured she was either from, or headed to, here, been caught by the pirates, and called parley, so we brought her along wi' us wi' the hope that someone here will know her. We've only t' stay 'til the ship is repaired, and we regather supplies, afore we head along, past Bermuda."  
  
The officer looked a little suspicious, but the sight of Louisa curled up at the front of the ship changed his mind. "Ok, take her in, and you're granted docking until the ship is right to leave."  
  
The ship pulled away from the Endurance, and Will grinned to himself. This was going to be fun!  
  
*****  
  
The soldiers took Louisa away from the Endurance as soon as the ship landed. She struggled, calling parley as she went, and causing quite a ruckus. Finally, she was deposited at the hospital, where she was looked over, and pronounced in good health, except for her memory.  
  
A house was found for her to stay in, where it was hoped (by the hospital workers) that she would regain her memory, and find her family. A week past this, Louisa was walking along the beachfront, carrying bags from the market, when a young man washed up onto the shore. Still in character, she hesitated, before putting down her bags and running over.  
  
He was alive, barely, and looked as though he'd swum a long way. "Are ye all right?" she asked him when he looked up at her. He started to nod, but a cough changed his mind, and he shook his head. "I'm guessin' that would be a 'no'," she said, and he nodded. "Aye, ye're right wi' that one," he managed to say, and tried to stand up.  
  
It took several tries, but finally he managed to stagger to his feet and stay upright. "What's ye name?" he asked her, and Louisa looked at her feet.  
  
"I... I'm... I don't actually know," she finished. The wash-up laughed, almost overbalancing. "How can ye not know? A name is somethin' that's bred intae ye," he said finally. Louisa shook her head. "I don't know. All I remember is cannons firing, and a man holding a sword over me, an' me yellin' parley, like someone once told me t' do, and then blackin' out. After that, it was mainly dark, until the cap'n of the Endurance found me."  
  
Wash-up nodded. "Aye, that'd be the pirates o' the Caribbean, which attacked ye ship, then. I've heard abou' them - but those stories don' compare with the stories abou' Jack Sparrow and the Black Pearl."  
  
Louisa looked up, "Jack Sparrow... that... the name... I've heard it somewhere..." Wash-up cut in, "Aye, o' course ye have. There's not a soul alive that ain't heard o' Jack Sparrow, and the Pearl. 'Sa pity they both vanished, a few years back, but I don' think they be gone fo' good. The Pearl will be back, ye can mark my words."  
  
Louisa nodded, and picked up her bags again. "Well, sir, I'm afraid I have to leave you. Will you be all right, do you think? I don't want to leave you out here if there's a chance that you're not all right, and likely to collapse as soon as I leave."  
  
Wash-up laughed. "There ain't no chance that'll happen, lassie. I kin take more 'en most people, pirate or no, an' a little swim ain't killed me yet."  
  
Louisa blushed, and looked down again. "Can I ask for your name, sir?" she asked, hesitantly. He nodded, "Aye, ye kin ask all ye want. But I'll tell ye, seein' as ye are the nicest lassie I've yet come across. My name is James, James Sparrow, also called Jamie Boy on occasion - it's usual t' hear me ol' man call me that - but mostly I'm called Jamie. Ma gave me that name when I was nigh on two days old, so she says."  
  
Louisa looked up sharply. He was clean-shaven, and looked nothing like the pictures of Jack Sparrow her mother had on the fireplace, but there was something about him that made her know he wasn't lying about his identity. "S...Sparrow? You're... you're Jack Sparrow's son?" the tremor in her voice was real. If Jack's son was in Port Royal, then Jack had to be back on the sea!  
  
He nodded, "Aye, that I am, an' if ye'd be so kind as not t' tell any... important... people who I am, I'd be much obliged t' ye. An if ye so happen t' see m' father, would ye kindly tell him I'd like me hat back?"  
  
Louisa nodded, and Jamie bowed low, "Thank ye ver' muchly, Lassie. Now, if ye don' mind, I've some things t' do," and with that, he walked away, looking very much as though he was drunk, though Louisa put that down to the exhaustion from his swim. 


	3. Chapter 3: Family Speaks

Chapter 3: Family Speaks  
  
Back at the house she was staying, her young mistress was talking with her parents, and Louisa couldn't help but overhear. "...and so when Norrington applied for the transfer back to England, he tried to track down the governor's daughter - Elizabeth, she went over there nearly twenty years ago with her husband, the blacksmith, and couldn't find her. He wrote back, and the governor was so upset, he was nearly ready to set sail as search for Elizabeth himself!" Louisa suddenly dropped the jug she'd been holding.  
  
Margaret, the girl's mother, stood up. "Oh, my dear, what's wrong?" Louisa almost started crying. "I know that name - Elizabeth... it's... it's my mother's name... I remember! And... and my father... he was a blacksmith... Will... William... Turner.... I remember! I'm sure of it! Is... is there anyone in Port Royal called Turner? Please tell me there is!" Margaret glanced at her husband, and then back to Louisa. "Perhaps... perhaps you'd best go with John to see the governor, my dear. I think perhaps he'd be able to help you...."  
  
And so, within the hour, she was sitting in the governor's lounge room, nervously, waiting for him to appear. When he did arrive, the first thing he did was to catch her in a hug so fierce she was winded. "Louisa! I'm so glad to see you! The fellows who brought you in had a bag of mail, and one of those letters was from my son-in-law, Will, explaining you were coming. I'm so happy you weren't hurt!"  
  
Louisa smiled, even more nervously, and looked at her hands. "I... I'm glad I'm finally meeting you... sir," she stumbled.  
  
The governor smiled, "Call me anything, apart from sir - I'm called that by everyone I know, including your father!" Louisa laughed, nervously. "I'm... I mean... I can't really remember much at the moment, about him, or my mother... I was hoping you could help me...."  
  
The governor smiled again. "Of course, my dear, I'll tell you anything you want to know about either Elizabeth or Will."  
  
John excused himself from the room, knowing that they would have to advertise for a new maid - Louisa had found her place at Port Royal.  
  
The governor moved both himself and Louisa to the comfortable seat near the door, and for a long while, neither spoke. Finally, Louisa broke the silence. "What is my mother like? Or was, when you last saw her?"  
  
The governor sighed, "She was always one to do what no one expected. And marrying your father was one of those things."  
  
Louisa smiled, "How did my parents meet? Where you there?" she asked, and Governor Swann smiled. "Yes, I was there when they met. Elizabeth was only eight, and William was ten. Elizabeth and I were sailing from England to here, and we came across a merchant ship in ruins. There was a boy in the water, namely Will, and we pulled him ashore. That was how they met - Will was in Elizabeth's care. They became good friends, though when we arrived at Port Royal, they had to separate. Will went into the care of Mr. Brown, the blacksmith, and learnt that trade. Even though I objected, they remained friends, secretly at first, and when I found out, your mother threatened to run away if she couldn't stay friends with him.  
  
'It wasn't until Commodore Norrington's promotion ceremony that I realized how much William liked your mother, when he raised such a fuss when he was told that rescuing her from the pirates wasn't happening straight away. He broke a pirate, Jack Sparrow, from the gaol, and stole one of the best ships in the navy along side of the pirate, in the hope to find, and bring her back.   
  
'Of course, I thought it was only infatuation at the time, but when we caught up with them, and the battle at sea took place, and Jack Sparrow was recaptured, something had changed. It was as though that once his feelings had been found out, he didn't bother to hide them from the rest of the public." He paused, and looked at his granddaughter for a reaction. She smiled, "What happened then?" she asked, prompting him to keep speaking.  
  
'When we arrived back at Port Royal, Will was taken to the gaol, along with Sparrow, but Elizabeth tried to convince me to clear William's name, along with Sparrow, and I did for Will. As much as I wished it, Jack Sparrow's record could not be cleared, but Elizabeth accepted Will's clearance with little fuss.   
  
'After Sparrow's trial, he was sentenced to hang, and at this point, three weeks after our return to Port Royal, Elizabeth hadn't seen William. Whilst the executioner was reading Sparrow's record, he appeared, out of nowhere, and pronounced his love for your mother. Then he caused a great fuss by aiding the escape of Sparrow, right in front of the executioner and the navy.   
  
'This time, however, we didn't even bother to put him behind bars - my daughter can be very persuasive when she wants to be. He claimed he would settle down, and not return to the sea. Sparrow, however, continued his piratical fun, and after Elizabeth and Will were married, they announced they were going back to England. Soon after that, Sparrow himself disappeared from the sea, and I have only seen your parents twice since they returned to England.   
  
'When Norrington returned to his home in Wales, he tried to find your parents, to pass on my well wishes. He could not locate them anywhere, and wrote back to me. I was almost ready to set sail at once, until a member of staff told me to wait until I received a letter from Elizabeth, or Will, before I made any rash actions. When the ship carrying you, and the other two gentlemen, arrived, the letter delivered to me explained that they'd moved to an island, with other British settlers, and that you were coming to visit, an possibly stay for a while."  
  
Louisa listened to the familiar story with a smile on her face. ~I knew the story~ she thought, ~but I've never thought of it from someone else's perspective before. It makes it all sound so much more... whirlwind almost!~  
  
"I wish I could remember more about them," Louisa said, almost wistfully, and she turned to look out the window, which looked over the ocean. The governor smiled, "You will, my dear, you will. Just give yourself time, you must not rush these things." 


	4. Chapter 4: Within the Week

Chapter 4: Within the Week...  
  
The two days that followed Louisa's entry into the governor's care were dull, somehow, compared to the rest of the time she'd been on land. She had nothing to do, except sit around and look pretty, and there was no one to see, except the mindless soldiers who continuously asked her to marry them. At last, she knew why her mother had wanted to get away from that sort of life.   
  
It did have it's upsides, like not having to fumble around with the bed warmer so she wouldn't burn her feet, and not having to worry about doing her own hair, and getting into corset's by herself, but these few things didn't outweigh the boring side of life.   
  
One night, when the rest of the servants and her grandfather had gone to bed, she pulled on a simple dress (which her grandfather thought too revealing - it was almost like a shift, but thicker), shook her hair out so it fell around her shoulders in a blonde haze, and borrowed one of her maid's outside shoes, left near the entrance to the staff quarters.   
  
Sneaking out at night wasn't something [text missing] walked through the door, well aware that most of the men would think she was a hooker, and looked around to see if her father was still in Port Royal. Her mother hated the fact that her husband had taken a liking to rum, and the younger Will had followed suit.   
  
When it became remarkably clear that the Endurance had set sail several days before, Louisa sighed a breath of relief - Will, both of them, hated her hanging around the taverns. She took a seat near the side of the bar where the more sober people were.   
  
"What can I get ye?" asked the woman behind the bar, currently giving her the once over while she waited for Louisa to speak. "Ale, pint," she said with a smile, causing the woman to roll her eyes and walk away slowly. Louisa had no doubt her drink would come back something completely different, but still - she'd tried to be good!  
  
"An' what, pray tell, brings ye t' the tavern full o' the roughest scallywags in the Caribbean?" asked a familiar voice from behind Louisa's ear. She whirled around to find Jamie looking at her with a grin on his face. "I can handle myself in these places," she said, holding back a laugh. Jamie shook his head in jest, "The news is, Lassie, that ye ain't a servant a'tall - that ye be the governor's granddaughter, daughter o' Bootstrap Bill the second, an' that ye lied t' me when we met."  
  
Louisa didn't lose face - she'd been too well brought up to do that in front of a pirate. "Well, *sir*, at the time I didnae know who I was, but now I got me memory back where it belongs, I know enough t' keep me out o' trouble!" Jamie laughed. "Aye, well, that would explain why ye found the name of Jack Sparrow familiar - ye parents and mine sailed together for quite a while afore mine disappeared!"  
  
Louisa looked around, to see if anyone was watching, before she turned back to Jamie. "Do ye think... do ye think Port Royal will fall under attack, now Jack and Bootstrap are back on board together?" she asked in an undertone. Jamie nodded, with a grin. "Aye, I do, that's why I ain't tryin' t' beg a way off this miserable hole - I'll wait fer me ol' dad t' come an' pick me up - and gie me my hat back!"  
  
Louisa laughed, and took the drink she'd been handed, dropping a few coins on the table to pay. The woman looked up sharply. "Ye ain't left enuff t' pay fer ye drink, lassie; pay up." Louisa shook her head. "Ah, no, I don't think I be doin' that - ye see, I asked fer a *pint* an ye've only given me half, therefore I only gots t' pay for half, meanin' ye shoulda given me the *full* pint afore I paid ye for it, else ye shoulda took me money *afore* ye went t' fill the cup. Savvy?"   
  
Louisa laughed, and she and Jamie walked away from the bar, leaving the woman to figure out what Louisa had said, and took a seat near the back. "Ye are quite a lady, an' I still havnae heard ye name," Jamie prompted. Louisa laughed, "Seein' as I know yours, Jamie-Boy, it's fittin' that I give ye mine. But which one would ye like?"   
  
Jamie grinned, "Well, I told ye three o' mine, so I think it's fittin' that ye do the same." Louisa nodded. "Deal. The name my parents christened me with is Louisa, but me father's crew, and the rest o' the fleets call me Cannonfire Turner, an' me father does as well, and I've been listed as the Sea-Fairy in the wanted posters an' such." Jamie nodded thoughtfully. "Aye, well, that'd explain a lot o' things... but it still don' explain how ye came t' be on board a passenger ship which was attack'd by pirates, if yer a pirate yeself."  
  
Louisa returned his expression, with a laugh. "I ain't askin' ye abou' any secret's ye may have, so ye shouldnae ask me th' same, should ye?" Jamie nodded in agreement, "Aye, that sounds t' be right an' fair... so ask away, lass, what is it they ye wan tae know?"   
  
Louisa grinned, "Where have ye been fer fifteen years?" Jamie looked around, and leaned forwards as though he were about to tell a huge secret. "Cap'n Jack Sparrow, Anamaria, meself, and me sister, along wi' the crew o' the Pearl have spent fifteen year's trapp'd i' the Bermuda Triangle!"  
  
Louisa felt her the blood leave her face... "The Bemuda Triangle... no one's ever come out o' there afore... ye cannae be serious - where was ye, honestly?" Jamie nodded, "That where we be, lass. If ye've half a mind t' track down me father, ye can ask 'im yeself, aft' ye ask 'im t' gie me back me hat, o' course!" Louisa shook her head, getting rid of the feeling of dizziness that had threatened to overtake her, and nodded. "Ok, then, I'm guessin' it's yer turn t' ask me somethin', if we take thi' conversation as thou' we both be pirates, and followin' th' same code, o' course."  
  
Jamie nodded, "How did ye come t' be a pirate, aboard a passenger ship, attacked by pirates, when yer the daughter o' one o' th' best pirates i' the Caribbean?" Louisa sat back, and sighed. "Well, I wasnae on a passenger ship. My father, Bootstrap Bill, aka Will Turner the second, decided I had t' live on the land fer a while, t' see which I preferred. He captured a ship, I learnt me part, an' I come to Port Royal t' stay wit' me grandfather. I didnae have no memory loss, and I didnae not recognize th' name o' Jack Sparrow. Now I've a question for ye - when d'ye expect ye father t' arrive at Port Royal? I'd really like a passage off, an' if I hav' t' call 'parley', then I will be."  
  
Jamie laughed. "He should be 'ere within' the week, if ye kin wait tha' long," he finished. Louisa nodded. "Aye, an' if ye see 'im afore me, ye kin tell 'im I've got the stubbornness o' both me parents!" Jamie nodded in agreement, "Aye, if I kin base what I've 'eard 'bout 'em on ye, then I expect ye would."  
  
Louisa let herself relax in the chair. Within the week.... 


	5. Chapter 5: Calling 'parley'

Chapter 5: Calling 'parley'  
  
The Black Pearl didn't take long to anchor, and the crew aboard was anxious to get to land. Some, the older members of the crew, hadn't set foot on solid ground for almost a year, and the others had been almost as long. For a pirate, this was unusual. They usually stopped every few months to find new crew members, or to offload the booty they'd gathered since being on land last. The captain wouldn't stop except to gather supplies, and then the supplies were taken from merchant ships, so there was no port in the storm.   
  
Cotton, the tongue-less pirate with the parrot, had long since been assigned to below deck duties, such as sorting the treasure and patching the holes in the hull. Now, he was above deck, standing behind the helm, where Jack and Anamaria were arguing, as per usual. This time the argument spanned from Jack's reasons for throwing his son overboard and keeping his hat, to how long they were staying at Port Royal. Anamaria's reasoning was logical - Norrington wasn't in Port Royal any more, so therefore, if they kept a low profile, they wouldn't be recognized and could stay for up to a week.   
  
Most of the crew, who were listening in on the argument, agreed with Anamaria, but had to admit that Jack had a point. "A pirate doesn't want t' go unnoticed. It's their job t' make an impression, t' let the whole world know that they're back!" he yelled, purposely keeping his back to the angry woman, so she didn't have a chance to slap him. Nevertheless, she stormed around so she was standing in front of the wheel and stared at the captain through the gaps in the wood. "How do you even know that Jamie made it to Port Royal? If we go in unnoticed, we can stay for longer, and looka round, to see if he made it or no!"   
  
Jack, getting fed up with Anamaria, stood on tiptoe and looked over the wheel to stare down at her. "If we take the Pearl in steady, he won't... [text missing] him that we'll meet him in Port Royal. Then you want to go into Port Royal with a *bang* so everyone in the whole damn place knows that Captain Jack Sparrow is back in the Caribbean, without even worrying if Jamie is even *in* Port Royal, and then you wont even listen to my advice about the whole bloody situation! Is that about right?" The crew nodded silently, out of Jack's sight, and many even stopped pretending to work to hear his answer. He thought about it, looking past Anamaria, then suddenly grinned. "That's about it. I'm glad ye see it my way!"  
  
Anamaria's temper went off the scale. She marched around the wheel, but Jack had grabbed hold of a waiting rope, and cut the weight at the bottom. He flew up, in the general direction of the top of the mast, and after switching to the rigging, ended up in the crow's nest, with a very startled crewmember. Anamaria went to the bottom of the mast and yelled up, "Ye be stayin' up there fer a while, Jack, an' so long as ye be there, I'm in charge o' the Pearl!" Jack sighed, and leaned on the edge of the crow's nest, with his head in his hands. "There'll be no livin' with her after this," he complained to the young man with him, who only nodded in agreement.   
  
It took a while, but finally Anamaria had cooled down enough to let him down without a fuss. Isabelle, Jack and Anamaria's daughter, who was two years younger than her brother, came up from underneath deck to see if her parent's were still fighting. Finding a cold atmosphere, she decided to stay above deck with the reasoning that a cold atmosphere was a hell of a lot better than the heat of a full-blown war zone.  
  
Knowing that her father was more reasonable than her mother when they were angry, she avoided the bow of the ship, where her mother was, and headed for the helm. Jack was back to steering the ship, and was still set to enter Port Royal with a *bang*, as he said, but was more than willing to compromise about leaving quietly. Isabelle, for one, knew why her father had made Jamie walk the plank, but had been unable to explain it to her mother, who'd been, and still was, furious.   
  
"Da, ye do realize that ye ain't gonna be able tae get away wit' anything in the near future, don't ye? An' that includes leavin' me in Port Royal tae fend fo' meself. I'd love t', but i' ye do, Ma'ma is more'n likely tae throw ye o'erboard 'erself!" Jack, who was still sore over being beaten in an argument by Anamaria, looked at his daughter sharply. "What do ye know about me leavin' ye in Port Royal?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at his daughter. "Da, I ain't stupid, ye know. An' I know yer Da did t' same t' ye an' ye sister, an' I ain't tellin' ye not tae, but p'rhaps ye'd best wait a few weeks afore ye leave me tae fend fer meself, savvy?"  
  
Jack laughed, "Aye, lass. I think ye'd be right abou' that one!"  
  
That night, in the bar once again, Jamie and Louisa were talking. Disagreeing, actually, was the word for it. "What do ye mean? O' course Jack is gonna make an entrance, 'e cannae 'elp 'imself!" Louisa replied, to Jamie's smug comment that she wouldn't even know when Jack had arrived in Port Royal. "Aye, me Da might try t' come in wit' a bang, but ma'ma willnae let him, if she's in th' same sort o' mood she were in when Da threw me over."  
  
Sitting back in her seat, Louisa grinned cheekily as the sound of cannonfire broke the otherwise reasonably quiet atmosphere of the bar. Jamie didn't flinch, but shook his head in defeat. "Aye, ye were righ'. But p'raps Da willnae leave wit' a bang, eh?" Louisa nodded, and ducked, as a rope holding a bucket swung past the table, narrowly missing her head. "Aye, p'raps he will!"  
  
The attack on Port Royal wasn't expected. They hadn't been attacked by pirates for almost ten years, and many had grown comfortable in the thought that they were safe. The old cannons on the top of the fort hadn't been used for quite some time, and many of the soldiers on duty had never fired one.   
  
Within minutes, Port Royal was in a frenzy of activity. The lower-class people were panicking, running through the streets instead of barricading themselves in their homes. The noblemen and women were hiding in wardrobes, and other non-suitable areas.   
  
The crew, who hadn't been on land for so long, were glad to have solid earth under their feet. They laughed, and joked with one another as they robbed, and killed on land. And Jack was amongst them. Sort of.   
  
Anamaria was walking directly behind Jack, as they walked through the streets, and while she knew that the pirate would have loved to join his crew, it was her son that she was worried about. "If ye donae find 'im, Jack, ye'll have a long swim ahead o' ye!" Jack raised his hands in self-defense. "He'll be here! I promise ye, I know me own kid, an' he'll be waitin' for us!"  
  
Jamie, and Louisa, however, were being held up - not a by a pirate, as they would have recognized the captain's son - but by one of the men escaped from the gaol. The man, over six feet tall, and almost as wide, held a broken chair leg menacingly towards Louisa, who was standing behind Jamie.   
  
Suddenly, however, the man's face changed from that of anger, to that of surprise. He stepped sideways, dizzily, and dropped to the floor. Standing behind him, wearing a grin and holding both a large hammer, and a bottle of rum, was Jack Sparrow. Behind him, wearing a look of relief, was Anamaria.   
  
"I told ye he'd be fine!" said Jack as Anamaria ran forwards and hugged her son. "I don' care, ye ol' fool! Ye shouldnae thrown 'im o'erboard i' the firs' place!"  
  
  
  
Jamie glanced at Louisa, who was trying not to laugh, when Jack suddenly noticed that his son wasn't alone in the by-now empty bar. "An' who would ye be?" asked Jack, gesturing to Louisa, who stepped back. Jamie spoke up, "Jus' a member o' the governor's house," he said with a shrug, earning a glare from Louisa. Jack saw the glare, and grinned. "Well then, I don't really think I've a care fer witnesses," he said as he raised the sword he was carrying to her chin, "an' I doubt ye'll be missed fer quite a while, i' all the ruckus th' crew've caused...."  
  
Louisa cut him off suddenly with a word - "Parley! That's what you call, isn't it, for protection from a pirate? Parley?" Jack sighed, and dropped the sword. "Parley still works, even aft twenty years 'ave passed? I'll be damned!" Louisa straightened her skirts, but stayed where she was. Jack looked at Anamaria, who was staring intently at Louisa. "Do I know ye from somewhere? Ye look familiar...." Louisa tightened her expression. "I make a habit of avoiding familiarity with pirates," she said with a determined tone in her voice, purposely mimicking what she'd heard in her father's stories.   
  
Jack dropped his sword completely, and stepped forwards into Louisa's face, "Now, I can be sure I've heard someone say that afore now... who are ye? What be ye name, lassie?" Louisa looked away, a little startled by Jack's sudden movement. "Louisa Turner, sir. And I do believe ye've met me father, William Turner?"   
  
It was worth putting her acting ability to the test to see Jack Sparrow's face expression. "Turner? Aye, I knew Will Turner - but ye cannae be sayin' that ye be Will an' Elizabeth's daughter? Last time I saw ye, ye were only this high!" he said, indicating a height just off the ground. Anamaria smiled, "I knew ye looked familiar, Louisa, ye look 'most 'sactly like ye mother!"  
  
Jamie, who'd been standing around looking bored, suddenly ran to look out of the window. "Da, the navy's got 'emselves t'gether an' are comin' towards 'ere - p'raps we'd best get ou' o' 'ere?" Jack nodded, "Aye, that'd be the best idea - but what 'bout li'l miss, 'ere?" Anamaria pushed Jack towards the door, pulling Louisa along with her. "She called parley, didn't she? An' she's a pirate, so the code applies - she comes along wi' us!" 


	6. Chapter 6: Heart to Heart

Chapter 6: Heart to Heart  
  
Elizabeth Turner wasn't a patient woman, anyone could vouch for that, and the person who knew it most was her husband Will. "You know that Jack is back in the Caribbean, and heaven only knows where he's been! If he attacks Port Royal, Will, I am not going to be held responsible if he hurts Louisa!"  
  
Will, who had barely arrived back from his ship, sank into a chair. "Elizabeth! Jack may be daft sometimes, but do ye really think he'd hurt Louisa?"  
  
Elizabeth walked out of the lounge room and into the kitchen. "No, I don't think he'd hurt Louisa if he knew who she was, but he doesn't! He hasn't seen her since she was a baby!"  
  
Will sighed, and looked at the ceiling for inspiration. "Elizabeth, she'd tell him, in some way who she was. I know Louisa's acting ability, and she could pull off anything!"  
  
Elizabeth wasn't convinced. "But what if she hasn't 'regained' her memory yet, and Jack attacks the family she's living with? She won't be able to come right out and say 'wait, I'm Will Turner's daughter Louisa'!" Will, giving up, stood up and walked to where his wife was cleaning things, and held her arms so she couldn't ignore him. "She knows to call parley, and Jack is a man of the code. He knows what he can and cannae do in regards to the code!"  
  
Elizabeth nodded. "I know, Will. I just can't believe she's gone!" Will laughed gently, "Elizabeth, she isnae suited for life on land, I hope ye believe me. I'm willing to stake all the treasure I can get in a month that she'll leave Port Royal wit' Jack if he goes there. An' she'll be back afore too long, I can promise ye." Elizabeth nodded. "I hope you're right, Will, but what with my father do if he finds she's gone?"  
  
Will laughed again, "He'll probably think she takes aft her mother, that's all!"  
  
*****  
  
The Black Pearl was exactly how her father had described it, minus the holes in the side where knives and forks, and other various things had been shot through with cannons by the Interceptor, years before.   
  
Jack was immensely proud of his ship, and loved it more than he loved life itself. Although, his children and Anamaria came a close second! Jamie was the type to overlook being thrown overboard, so long as he was able to repay the favour. And he'd found a way to do just that, by holding a torch near the main mast.   
  
Jack was either so scared for his ship, or angry at his son, that he couldn't move. He stood, with a worried expression on his face, as Jamie held the torch close to the rigging. "Will ye apologise fer makin' me take a swim, Da?" he asked, and if looks could kill Jamie would have been dead several times over.   
  
"All right! I'm sorry fer throwin' ye overboard, Jamie-boy, but if ye follow through an' burn the Pearl, ye won't survive the next swim ye take - I promise ye that!" Jack regained most of his composure, and stepped towards his son, almost menacingly. Anamaria only laughed. "Ye got what ye deserved, Jack. But Jamie - if I were ye, I'd put the torch away, m' boy, or else ye'll find yeself in an unpleasant way!"  
  
Jamie laughed, and extinguished the torch in a bucket of water at the ready by the base of the mast. Jack made as though he was going to say something, but changed his mind and walked to the helm. Louisa was standing at the bow of the ship, looking out over the open ocean.  
  
Anamaria walked up behind her, and spoke softly, so she wouldn't scare the girl. "It's beautiful, isn't it?" Louisa turned around. "What? Oh, yes, it is beautiful. But it's more than that... it's so wild... so free." Anamaria laughed, "It's not freedom. It can't take you everywhere, but it's the pathway for freedom. A ship is the freedom, and the water merely a path to follow."  
  
Louisa turned and looked at the older woman. "I've heard that somewhere before... my mother told my father something like that, years ago, when he didn't want to go back to sea. She told me the story when I asked to spend some time at Port Royal.... But she's always said the one thing she worries about most is that my father will find happiness somewhere else, with someone else. When my father is on the sea, he's different. It's as though he leaves everything behind...."  
  
Anamaria laughed softly, and looked at her feet. "I know the feeling. When Jack sets out by himself, and I stay on land with Isabelle, our daughter, I can see the difference. When Bella and I are wi' him, he worries, even if he doesnae admit it, and he cannae be himself. I've seen him in action, lassie, and he's a force to be reckoned with, even if he is a softie underneath!"  
  
Louisa looked down at the water, and bit her lip, unable to phrase the question in her mind properly. Finally, the words fitted together, and she looked back p at Anamaria. "How do you... does he... does it bother you if he... sleeps with anyone else?" Anamaria laughed again, but it wasn't quite as full of life as before. "I know that he has, and I don't doubt that he will always, but ye can tell when a man loves ye, because he comes back. I've taken to classing him as two different people. When he's on the sea with just himself and his crew, he's Captain Jack Sparrow, pirate extraordinaire, and when I'm with him, he's just Jack, my lover, and the father of my children. I'm not going to stop him from being a pirate, and I don't have the right to. It's who he is - part of the package."  
  
Louisa smiled, "I guess my father does as well, even though my mother doesn't know...." Anamaria smiled, "I havenae seen your parents for twenty years, Louisa, but your mother is smarter than she looks. She'd know, she may ne'er mention anything, but she'd know. Jack tried to hide it from me, and if I didn't know him, I wouldn't have had any idea, but I did, and I knew what he was like, and after the initial feeling of betrayal, I realized, I didn't care. As long as it was me he came to when he was hurt, when he was angry, when he was in need of love, then I didnae care. Ye'll know what I mean when you find the person you love, trust me."  
  
Louisa glanced to where Jamie was standing next to his father, then back at Anamaria. "I think I already understand, Anamaria." Anamaria looked in the direction Louisa had, and smiled. "I think we've come to an understanding then. C'mon, we've got a busy few days ahead of us, if we're plannin' on makin' it t' home afore long."  
  
The next few days were busy, and Louisa hardly saw anyone besides Anamaria. Even Isabelle was stand-off-ish, and tried to avoid being in the same room as Louisa. Jack stopped to talk to her occasionally, probing for information over what had changed since the disappearance twenty years earlier.   
  
"Ye tellin' me yer father has a *fleet*, of sorts, an' the island has a whole village?" he asked at one of these sessions. Louisa nodded, "Aye, an' a proper dock an' the like. It ain't as big as th' one a' Port Royal, but it's a real workin' dock, wit' a book keeper an' everythin." Jack thought about this for a minute. "An does ye father charge people t' tie their ship's at the dock?" Louisa laughed, "Only if he don't know 'em. I think ye'd be safe if ye tried to get away wit' not payin'!" Jack nodded, and then walked away without saying anything.   
  
Even Jamie seemed too busy to talk, now. On land he spoke about everything, except how the Pearl had gotten away from Bermuda and what it was like inside the triangle, but on sea, on the ship, he did everything all the time. Even when he was in the crow's nest, he was all business. It was the same with Anamaria, but she at least stopped to talk.   
  
It wasn't until a few days later, when the sails of a ship appeared on the horizon, that any real action started. Even Jack seemed overly excited for a change. "Sail ho!" came the call from the crow's nest, and Jack skimmed up the rigging before anyone could even register the call.   
  
The grin on his face screamed superiority when he touched back onto the deck, and Louisa was the first person he walked over to. "Yer a lucky lass, Louisa, yer father is on 'is way t' save ye!"  
  
Louisa could scarcely believe her ears. "You... you can't be serious... how can ye even see from this distance what type o' ship it is?" she asked quickly. Jack laughed. "Ye've a lot t' learn lass, but I'm tellin' ye, tis the Dauntless that sails in this direction, an' ye'll be meetin' yer father afore long!"  
  
With that spoken, he smiled, and headed back to the helm, yelling orders as he took over the wheel of the ship. "Jamie-Boy! Raise the Jolly Roger, Lad! An' then we'll see if they raise theirs in return!" 


	7. Chapter 7: Reunited we stand

Chapter 7: Reunited we stand  
  
The ship in the distance looked like a regular run of the mill passenger ship. There was a high possibility that it was a ship that had taken people from England to Port Royal, and was returning to it's home, but there was something about it that sent chills down Will Turner's spine.   
  
Sure, it had black sails, but there were heaps of ships that had black sails on the water now. And, true, it was fast enough to outstrip a merchant ship without too much effort, but there was just something about it....  
  
The Dauntless, once the pride of the King's Navy, now the pride of the fleet of Caribbean Pirates, was a heavy-set ship. It had the ability to sink a passenger or merchant ship within an hour, and what it lacked in speed it made up with power.   
  
The crew lived up to the name of the ship. They were, well, dauntless. Not one member of the crew had ever shown any sign of outward fear, no matter if they were trembling to death on the inside, and they had no insecurities about ransacking and pillaging other ships, ports, or towns they came across. But the one thing that each of them feared most was the Black Pearl.  
  
The stories of the Pearl had lived on after it's disappearance, and many stories came back that the Pearl had been seen in the midst of storms, and through the fog. To make matters worse, for the crew, their Captain was on a first name basis with the Captain of the Black Pearl. This fact alone could have stopped any chances of mutiny, but Will also had the ability to beat any person, alive or dead, when it came to one-on-one sword fighting.   
  
Will himself climbed to the crow's nest to check the ship, instead of sending up one of his men. He wasn't surprized to see the black and white Jolly Roger flying. Using the hilt and barrel of his pistol as a handhold, he slid back down the rigging, landing near the helm. Will Turner Jnr was at the wheel, and the senior pushed him away. "Raise the Jolly Roger in return, Nine-Cat, an' raise the black flag along wi' it!"  
  
The black flag was something Will's fleet had in common. If one ship raised the Jolly Roger, and it was followed in suit, the black flag was raised to see if it were a member of the fleet of Caribbean Pirates. If the ship did not raise a black flag in return, then it was to be considered that they were strangers, and it was customary to pull alongside one another to sort details.   
  
Several minutes after both flags were flying at topmast, the second ship did a surprising thing. Will knew that all of the other ships in his fleet were safely in the isle canal, but the second ship raised a makeshift black flag, which looked to be someone's shirt.   
  
Before long, the ships were close enough to yell comments between one another, but not close enough to see the other pirate's faces. The fact that there was obviously three women on board didn't help much, as no pirate ship in the fleet was allowed to take a woman on board until it had been cleared by Will.   
  
*****  
  
On board the Black Pearl, it had been Louisa who'd told Jack to raise a black flag. Insulted, he'd said, "Th' Jolly Roger ain't good enough fer Will Turner?" Louisa had laughed, spun him round, and pointed out the pirate flag floating above the black flag. "Oh," was his reply, "Well, what we be needin' t' raise a black flag fer?"  
  
Louisa took several minutes to explain the concept of the black flag, finishing with, "He'll know ye don't mean harm if ye raise the black flag! Ye gotta have some spare sail cloth 'round 'ere somewhere!"  
  
A crew member who happened to be standing a little to close to Jack, wearing a black shirt, didn't have it on for much longer. "Ay! You wi' the black shirt! We need a flag - gi'e it o'er!"  
  
The shirt was tied to the second flag mast and hoisted up, just as the Dauntless set her course towards the Pearl.   
  
When they reached the yelling close point, Anamaria pulled Louisa and Isabelle to the bow, where they could be easily seen by Will's ship. "P'raps he'll know we don't mean no harm when 'e sees a couple o' women on board, eh?" asked Isabelle, almost nervously. She of them all had the most right to be almost afraid - she knew nothing of Will Bootstrap Turner.  
  
Anamaria laughed. "Not a't'all, lass - if we stand up 'ere where Will can get a look a' us, 'e'll see that we have Louisa wi' us, along wi' others, so there is a reason t' stop."  
  
Isabelle nodded, "Aye, I can see now." Louisa waved to her father - the Dauntless was closer, and she could see he was standing at the bow of the ship - McKenzie had to be at the helm. Her father waved back, along with her brother, who was standing beside him.   
  
Within minutes, both ships were side by side, and Will jumped ship to the Pearl. Louisa was glad to see a familiar face, and hugged her father almost before he'd stopped moving. He laughed, "Ye that glad t' see me, are ye?" Louisa nodded against his chest, "Aye, ye have no idea how dull noblemen are!"  
  
Will held his daughter at arm's length and studied her carefully. "Are ye the same person I sent t' Port Royal? That girl didnae want t' live a pirate's life... and now ye stand 'ere an' tell me it's dull? Christ girl, make ye mind up!"  
  
Louisa laughed, and Anamaria stood forwards. "Hello, Will. Haven't seen you for a while." Will took a double take. "Holy mother of god... Anamaria! It's been... twenty years! Where's ye scurvy Captain, then? Hidin'?"  
  
Jack stepped down from the helm. "An' why exactly would I be hidin' from the likes of you, may I ask? Jus' cause I ain't seen ye for twenty or so years don' mean I lost me nerve, or the like. I think I can still take ye on, no matter what ye think of yeself!" Will held his gaze for a minute, and Louisa felt as though time had stopped.   
  
Finally, both men grinned at once, and grapsed one another's arms in a man-hug of sorts. Louisa almost sighed with relief. Will laughed, "It's good t' have ye back in the Caribbean, Jack. Ye plannin' t' leave again any time soon?"  
  
Jack shook his head. "Not on the likely, Will. Not on the likely!"  
  
Both Captain's walked back towards the helm, and Anamaria looked at Isabelle. "I don' know what's th' matter wi' ye, Bella, but ye ain't said a word since 'e boarded."  
  
Isabelle seemed to have been startled by her mother's voice. "What? Oh... I just... I just didnae think it right t' speak when Da hasnae seen him fer so long...." Anamaria looked in the direction Isabelle had been staring, and laughed softly - Will Turner Junior was still at the bow of the boat, talking animatedly with his sister, who was still standing on the Pearl. And Isabelle had gone back to staring at him.  
  
Anamaria shook her head, and walked to where Jack and Will had gone. The two were talking, discussing everything from the recent weather (yeah, I know, but that's men for ya!) to how many ships Will had in his fleet (there's 6, by the way - and he gets 25% of each ships plunder. Most of it goes back into upgrading the village though - he's not *that* greedy! [besides, Elizabeth would never let him keep it all!]).   
  
One thing that no one onboard the Pearl had yet mentioned, though, was how they escaped from the Bermuda Triangle, and what it had been like inside. Will knew, from some of the things Jack was saying, that they actually *had* been inside the triangle, but he didn't dare to press the point. Jack was unpredictable at the best of times, and asking something he hadn't mentioned could cause any amount of trouble.   
  
"Ye can't tell me ye got this far without doin' something stupid?" Jack said after hearing how many ships were in the fleet. Will shook his head. "I've done plenty of stupid things, some of 'em worse than threatening to shoot meself in front o' a whole bunch o' pirates!" Jack shook his head; "An ye ain't dead. Amazing!"  
  
A few minutes later, Will reboarded his own ship, giving instructions to set sail for home full flight, "Don't worry 'bout the Pearl, she'll keep up with us!" There wasn't much that could change now Jack Sparrow was back in the Caribbean... or was there? 


	8. Chapter 8: And Divided we fall

lilitaliandragon: I was going to, but I sorta got hit with ideas, so I changed my mind...  
  
Pretty Kitty: Savvy - I'll try and lower the level a bit  
  
Siggy - whatever u want - u've already read ahead of everyone anyway!  
  
BellethePhilosopher'sCookie: I forced my friends to stay there, so you're not the only one who's friends don't understand the obsession!  
  
Chapter 8: And divided we fall  
  
As the wife of a pirate captain, Elizabeth was not one to take chances. She knew the limits of the women in the village, and many of those limits went past the ability to murder. However, there were one or two of the women who Elizabeth classed as close friends. They'd grown up together in England, and were reunited on the island when their husbands joined Will's crew.   
  
Walking to the spring at the back of her house to fetch water, Elizabeth always carried a concealed weapon, and this day was no exception. Two of the other women from the village were at the water's edge, two of the unmarried women, that is. Elizabeth felt the knife in her belt with every step she took, and she had more ability than most thought possible to use it.  
  
Tania, the elder of the two, stood up from where she'd been kneeling on the ground near the spring, and stepped back. Margaret, the younger, didn't move at all. "Ladies," said Elizabeth by way of greeting. They answered in unison, "Elizabeth."  
  
Then Tania spoke up, "I heard that Jack Sparrow is back in the caribbean, miss. An' he don't know our laws 'round 'ere - 'bout raisin' the black flag an' that sorta thing... Well, you know the punishment as well as I do - is Bootstrap gonna fire on his old captain like 'e's meant t'" Elizabeth smiled. "Tania, the whole idea of the trip they've taken now is to find the Black Pearl and bring Jack Sparrow and crew back here to the isle. There is a high chance that Jack has my daughter, Louisa, and I'm sure she'll tell him about the black flag rule. Now, if you'll excuse me...."  
  
Tania made as though to walk away, but Margaret stood her ground. "I don't care what ye say, Tania, I reckon we should jus' get rid of her now, then Bootstrap will be forced to take a new wife from the village." She stepped forwards, revealing the short sword she held. Elizabeth stood to her full height, "Margaret, you do realise what happens to people who threaten me, around here? Bootstrap doesn't give mercy to those who threaten his own, and the laws are simple - you touch me, or threaten me, you'll get keelhauled like a common criminal. If ye step back now, I won't tell him, but if ye continue to stand there, you will be keelhauled for sure. You don't have a family to vouch for you, so the trial won't help much, will it?"  
  
Tania didn't look very happy with her friend. "C'mon Margaret, let's just go. Elizabeth - I'm not part of this, I had nothin' t' do with it, I swear!" Margaret didn't move. "This was *your* idea, Tania! Now, Elizabeth, this won't take long if you don't struggle, so be a good sport and stand still so your husband gets a wife he can be proud of!"  
  
Margaret lunged forwards at the same time Elizabeth side-stepped and pulled her knife from her belt, driving it into the other girl's thigh. Margaret dropped the sword and grabbed her leg. Blood stained the pale dress she was wearing, and she gasped. Elizabeth looked down to see her own arm bleeding, but the adrenaline was still running fast enough so she couldn't feel it. "Like I said, Margaret, the trial won't be very fair - even with Tania here to be a witness. Bootstrap doesn't ever break his own rules, and you will be keelhauled when he returns. Good day, ladies. Tania, it would suit you if you were never here, savvy?"  
  
Tania nodded, and helped her friend to her feet. "Aye, miss. Understood." Elizabeth watched as they walked away before filling up her bucket. It was then that the adrenaline wore off, and the pain spread through her arm. Ignoring it, she picked up the bucket and headed back to the house. Maude, one of her old friends from England, saw her approach and ran over to help. "Elizabeth, you're going to get yourself killed one of these days, you do realise that, don't you?" Elizabeth laughed, "Not if I can help it, Maude. And Margaret will be keelhauled, no matter what I say - you remember what happened to Katherine when she threatened me in Will's presence, don't you?" Maude nodded, and took the bucket from her friend's hands. "I remember, but for now, let's get you inside and that arm looked at. Will can't be too far away - Roger says he should be back by nightfall tomorrow...."  
  
Roger was the captain of one of the ships in the fleet, The Legacy, and once one of Will's highest ranking crewmembers. The Legacy had sunken a passenger ship, of which Maude had been a passenger. When it came time to leave the surviving passengers on an island, Maude had managed to sweet talk Roger into taking her with him. They'd been together ever since.  
  
Elizabeth's arm was only a flesh wound, nothing too major, and she claimed that wearing a corset was worse. "When are you going to tell Will about Margaret?" asked Maude as she finished bandaging Elizabeth's arm. Elizabeth smiled, "I won't have to. He knows these sort of things." Maude nodded grimly, "I know...."  
  
*****  
  
The Dauntless pulled into port, closely followed by the Black Pearl. Jack was impressed, even though he didn't say anything. When both captains were on land, they spoke. "Ye have made a place of it, Will. But where's the pretty Miss Elizabeth? She doesn't meet ye at th' dock?" Will shook his head, "Too many of the local unmarried girls would try t' kill her. I ain't so bold as t' ask fer her safety." Jack nodded, "Aye, fair enough."  
  
Jack, Anamaria, Louisa, Jamie, Isabelle, and the two Will's reached the house on the hill at the same time Elizabeth started to leave. "Ye don't wait around t' see yer husband when 'e get's back t' land? Don't ye be givin' Anamaria any ideas now, Miss Elizabeth!" Elizabeth did a double take when she heard Jack's voice. "Jack? Jack Sparrow? It's been a long time!" Jack took off his hat and bowed low, "Aye, that it has, Elizabeth. You remember Anamaria?" Anamaria took off her hat, and smiled, before she pulled Elizabeth into a hug.   
  
"T'is good t' see ye, again, Elizabeth!" Elizabeth was overwhelmed. She knew Will had set out to find the pirate captain, but she didn't count on him finding them so soon. Looking over Anamaria's shoulder, she was surprized to see Louisa standing behind her father. "Louisa? Why did you... why aren't you at Port Royal?" Jack started to answer, but the young man standing at his side cut in.  
  
"That would be my fault, Mrs. Turner. Louisa found the life of a noblewoman to be rather... boring, I suppose. She helped me when I was washed up on the beach, and agreed to meet me at the tavern. When the Pearl turned up, she was with me, and called parley. You yourself know the rules of parley, ma'am, and by rights, she couldn't stay behind. If anyone's to blame, it should be me."  
  
Jack turned and looked at his son, almost accusingly. Jamie shrugged, and grinned. Elizabeth smiled, somewhat hesitantly. "And you are...?" she asked, causing Jack to double take. No one had known, before the Pearl had disappeared, that Jack and Anamaria were involved. Now the secret was about to come out, and Jack wasn't too sure if it were a secret he'd divulge if given the chance.   
  
Jamie glanced at Louisa, who shrugged, and pretended to be interested in something on the ground. Jack exchanged glances with Anamaria, and sighed before turning to look at Elizabeth. "This is Jamie... my son," he added to the end, as though that were self-evident.   
  
Isabelle spoke up behind them, startling Elizabeth who hadn't known there was anyone else there. "And I'm Isabelle, Jack's daughter," she paused before adding, in a stage whisper, "Jack don't like people knowin' 'bout us, cause then we'd be tradin' under his name. That's why he dumped Jamie o'erboard, to show 'im that there'd be no family loyalties should somethin' go wrong, ye know what I mean?"  
  
Jack turned and sent a friendly glare towards his daughter, who merely grinned slyly. "He was gonna leave me in Port Royal t' fend for meself, 'til I managed to barter a trip off, and to Tortuga. But he decided not t', because of ma'ma's temper - and the fact that he'd just lost an argument wi' her, 'bout Jamie!"  
  
Isabelle sidestepped a friendly punch aimed at her by her brother, and ran into Will Jr. He steadied her, and she blushed, turning away. No one else saw it, because they were too busy watching the reaction Isabelle's comments about being left in Port Royal had on Anamaria. Jack was taking refuge behind Elizabeth, and Will was holding Anamaria back. "I knew it! I knew it, ye scurvy dog! Why else would ye want t' enter Port Royal wi' a *bang*? It'd be th' only way ye'd be able t' leave Bella withou' me noticin' til we got t' Tortuga!"  
  
Jack looked out from behind Elizabeth, "It was only gonna be a... a character buildin' experience! She'd a'been fine!"  
  
Jack moved quickly, and before any of them knew it, he had Anamaria by the arms and looked into her eyes. "Ye do realise I'd ne'er do anything t' hurt our children on purpose, don' ye?" Anamaria's eyes lost most of their fire. "Aye, Jack. Not on purpose, but ye do know what I can and cannae stand for!" Elizabeth looked at her husband, who was trying to keep from laughing, and indicated to the door.  
  
He took the hint and followed. Elizabeth bumped the door with her arm, completely by accident, and grasped her wound in reflex. "What's wrong? What happened? Who was it?" he asked without giving her time to answer any of the questions. "Margaret... but it's nothing, really! We just had a... a... misunderstanding! That's all, I swear!"  
  
Will didn't listen; he headed back outside, and stormed down the stairs. Elizabeth followed after him, leaving the small crowd on the doorstep to watch them head towards the village. Will Jr. took charge and showed them all inside, again causing Isabelle to blush.  
  
At the village, Will shouted orders to the first few men he saw, "Williams! McDuff! Get the Dauntless ready for keelhaulin'! NOW!" The two men jumped to it when they saw the face of their captain. Even though they sailed on another ship in the fleet, they (like every man in the village) had originally sailed on the Dauntless under Will, and didn't dare to disobey direct orders.   
  
Will stormed into the small hut on the edge of the village. By this time, his presence had managed to draw most of the villagers from their homes to see what the commotion was about. He emerged from the house pulling Margaret along by her arm, wearing only very few undergarments. It made no difference that her thigh was visibly bandaged and bloodstained. Rules were rules, and punishments were always obeyed - even if no one wanted them to be.  
  
He pulled Margaret onto the dock, who was by this time crying almost hysterically, and shoved her onboard the Dauntless. The crowd stayed on land, and several of the older members of the crew pushed forwards to see what was happening. Will pushed Margaret to the deck; Williams and McDuff automatically took her from Will and tied her hands and feet, attaching the rope to be used for the keelhaul to the ropes at her feet.  
  
Will stood at the edge of the ship, "Everyone here knows the laws concerning mine, and everyone else's families! If a woman endangers the life of a taken woman, the husband has the right to try the offender to the punishment of keelhauling!" The crowd was deathly silent, the only sounds were Will speaking, and Margaret still crying. Will continued, "Margaret Evans threatened and wounded my wife! Does any husband or boyfriend stand forward to take her punishment?"  
  
There was no answer from the crowd - Margaret was single, and always had been. She was stuck on the fact that once Elizabeth was gone from the picture, Will would choose her as his next wife. Elizabeth herself stood on the deck, but at the back, and Margaret continued to send sharp glares in her direction. Elizabeth steeled herself for what she knew was still to come - keelhauled victims were never pretty to look at.   
  
Will continued, "There is evidence that Margaret wounded Elizabeth, and since no one stands forwards - you men! Get your scurvy selves up 'ere! NOW!" he yelled, pointing at the group of men who'd pushed forwards. They nodded, and ran to board the ship. They cast off, and waited until they were twenty feet offshore, before Will spoke again. "Let this be a lesson t' all of ye who even think about threatening another's wife in the future!"  
  
McDuff stood Margaret on the edge of the ship, and pushed her into the water. There was no way she'd be able to swim away, as the rope was attached to her feet; she started to cry again. The people on the shore could hear her cries clearly; "Please! It was an accident! I didn't mean it! Please don't do this to me! I love you, Bootstrap! Please don't do this to me!" Will stood on the edge and called down, "I don't care who ye love, Margaret, and I sure as 'ell exists don't love ye in return! Let this be a lesson to ye, if ye survive it. Threaten what one has, an' ye will pay the price!"  
  
He stepped back from the edge, and looked to where the seven men onboard has assembled themselves, each holding onto part of the rope. Will stood up on a box, and looked at the men. "Pull away, men!" he yelled, loud enough for the people on the shore to hear clearly. They nodded and, without hesitation, began to pull the rope. The eighth person to be called, a young man of about fifteen who was also the cabin boy on the Dauntless, coiled the rope as the men heaved it onboard.  
  
From the shore, all the people could see was Margaret still crying, before she disappeared under the water. For about five minutes, all that remained to show that there was indeed a person underwater was the men pulling the rope. Finally, her feet appeared above the surface of the water on the other side of the ship, followed by her limp body. She wasn't moving, and the little undergarments she had on were ripped and bloody.   
  
The men onboard pulled her up, and untied her, before Will ordered the ship back to the shore. Two of the men escorted her to the care of Tania, who was beside herself. She said, continually, "I told you what would happen! Why did you? Oh, Margaret! Why did you...?" Will escorted Elizabeth through the crowd, and back to their house.   
  
Jack was standing in the crowd, at the back, and he stepped aside with everyone else to allow Will and Elizabeth through. Will, as angry as he still was, said nothing, and didn't even notice Jack. Jack grinned to himself, "So, that's how he keeps order? That's... interesting." Raising his eyebrows in thought, he turned and followed his friends back to the house. 


	9. Chapter 9: Admittance requested

Chapter 9: Admittance requested...  
  
A week after the keelhauling incident, two things happened. The first was almost expected - Margaret died. The barnacles on the bottom of the ship had cut her to pieces, and caused infections. The second was unexpected. A storm blew into the river, and damaged four of the eight ships enough so they couldn't sail out. Another of the rules instructed that if one ship was unable to set sail when all were in port, no ship was to sail unless under direct orders from Will himself.   
  
The Black Pearl, and the Dauntless, were undamaged, along with two of the higher ranking fleet ships, and the crews of the two wanted to sail out, in time to catch the passenger ships. Will denied their requests, with the comment that it was far better to catch the merchant ships, as they carried a higher loot. Jack agreed.   
  
Since the keelhauling, Jack had said very little about rules and laws. Will Jr. and Louisa had explained the most important rules to remember when on the isle to Jamie and Isabelle, but had let Elizabeth and Will to explain the entire set of rules to Jack and Anamaria with the instruction to pass them along to their crew. But Jack hadn't pushed any point at all, even the ones he didn't agree with. Everyone who knew him thought this was very... unusual... to say the least.  
  
Finally, Will couldn't take it any longer. "Jack - you have never, in all the years I've known you, and sailed with you, stayed quiet unless you're sleeping. What the hell is wrong? What's in your head that's got you behaving so strangely?"   
  
Jack, being the pirate he is, had been offended. "I happen to be talking quite a it, thank ye very much. I'll have ye know that when a pirate is quiet, it means he's forming a plan of sorts, an' because I been quiet fer so long in *your* company don't mean that I ain't talkin' a'tall, savvy?" Will nodded, and waited for him to continue. "I've been itchin' fer a new adventure, Will. There's not much that makes me think long an' hard 'bout somethin' but I don' want t' end up a cursed man again, even if it were only temporary an' t' kill a good-fer-nothin' ex-firstmate, savvy?"  
  
At this point Jack stood up and walked to the window. It was different to being on a ship, and as before, he couldn't stay still for long. "There's a treasure I heard of, on my travels, an' I can find out the bearing's fer it. But I don't know if there be a curse attached or no'. Ye ever heard o' Cap'n Grey? Captain o' the Spanish Rose? The Rose sailed i' the Caribbean long a'fore I was walkin' round at knee high t' a sailor, an' she were feared by all. Even me father, Cap'n o' the original Pearl ship, the Red Pearl, were scared o' the stories 'bout Grey.... He was a fearsome man, Grey, an' he didn't like to be defied a'tall. He killed off 'alf 'is crew fer sayin' they wanted t' take a break on land.  
  
'Now, you know as well as I that a man cannae stay off land forever - but Grey did. Once 'e got the Rose, 'e didn't go to land 'cept to bury 'is treasure, an' restock 'is ship. He was a true pirate, Will. More pirate than any pirate before, an' ever will be, savvy?" Jack paused, and Will sat back in his chair. The bottles of rum between them were growing less and less, and still neither of them were drunk, or even close.  
  
Will was slightly confused, "What is Grey's treasure then? Ye've told me a little, but ye ain't told me what ye plannin' t' do!" Jack walked away from the window, and sat back down at the table. "Will, Grey found the ultimate treasure! Have ye ever heard th' old myth from the Greeks, about King Midas? How he were so greedy he chose to have the ability to change anything to gold with a single touch? It weren't a myth, Will. It's true, an' I got the proof!"  
  
Pausing in his story, he reached for the small leather pouch attached to his belt. Inside was two things. The first was a spherical, gold object. It was marked with intricate lines, and markings, but it wasn't heavy, and it didn't appear to be worth much. The other was something completely different. It was a statue of a bird about to take off in flight. It, too, was gold, but there was no way it could have been carved by a person, no matter how small their hands.   
  
"That, Will, is a blue-tail bird. It was in the triangle, along wi' a lot of other things, including th' map." Jack indicated to the sphere, and Will picked it up, examining it curiously. "This is a map? A map of what?" Jack grinned, "That is a map of the world, my friend. It shows where Grey's treasure is!"  
  
Will still didn't look very convinced. "Jack, ye can't jus' turn up, out of nowhere, after twenty years of being gone from the face of the earth, and expect me t' drop everythin' to help you find a treasure that is shown on a sphere!" Jack sighed, "Will, ye never change, do ye? When I met ye, you were a block-headed fool who thought 'e knew what 'e was doin'! This is a map, Will, an' I know how t' read it. If ye don't think the bird is proof enough, then come along an' see fer yeself. I have papers that tell what Grey's treasure actually is, an' what King Midas used fer his hand in the Greek myths!"  
  
Will leaned forwards in the chair, and took another swig of rum from the bottle in front of him. "What exactly are ye plannin' t' do, Captain Sparrow?" jack laughed, "Find the treasure, Will. Exactly what every other good pirate would do in my situation! But there's sure t' be a curse... an' I doubt ye'd like t' be mixed up in something like that, what with needin' t' be here t' keelhaul women who hurt Elizabeth...."  
  
Will took a double take. "You saw that?" Jack nodded, "Aye, I did. An' I don't think that killin' off every woman who thinks she be in love wit' ye a good idea." Will shook his head. "It doesn't always kill them, 'sides, it's not just for people who threaten Elizabeth - it's for whoever threatens anyone's wife or girlfriend. What would ye do to someone who tried t' kill Anamaria?" Will had him there, and he knew it. "Aye, I see yer point, Will. Tis a pity that girl died though... she looks to have made a good tavern mistress!"   
  
Will laughed, and their topic of conversation turned back to everyday things, each tactfully avoiding the topic of Grey's treasure.  
  
*****  
  
Louisa and Jamie were becoming fast friends, much to Will Jr.'s disappointment. Will and Jamie hadn't seen eye to eye since they'd properly met, although Louisa and Isabelle didn't seem to notice. The four had taken to hanging around together, with the two girls in the middle. Isabelle had opened up a lot, though she still blushed when she was around Will.   
  
"Ye never did tell me what else ye get called!" complained Louisa to Jamie in jest. He laughed, and nodded, "I only get called one other thing, Cannonfire. I get called Red Jamie, after my grandfather's ship, the Red Pearl. An' also cause Da found me completely drenched in blood one day, an' called me Blood-red fer a while. Red Jamie jus' stuck, so that is th' only other thing I get called!"   
  
The shoreline just beyond the village was rugged, but if need be, there was the possibility to have it cleaned up and made livable. This is where Louisa and Jamie took to hanging around when they wanted to be by themselves. They were kindred spirits, one could say, and they found in each other what they were missing in themselves. Both didn't seem to belong where they were, and both didn't have any way of finding their own paths. Jamie was destined to become a pirate, like his father, and the rest of his ancestors, whereas Louisa could choose between piracy and nobility.   
  
This day, they were sitting on the shore at the point where the river met the sea. Foam from the mouth of the river, where the big waves were, sprayed them whenever a wave swept in, but neither cared. Louisa spoke up suddenly, causing Jamie to jump slightly. "What was it like in the triangle? I mean... how can you live somewhere where so many people have been killed, or lost, or whatever happened? Why did you get out when no one else has?"   
  
Jamie looked at the ground, and Louisa saw him tense slightly. She hurriedly tried to fix her mistake. "I didn't mean it, you don't have to answer that... just ignore me...." He shook his head, and looked up. "No, it's all right. I did wonder when you were going to ask. The triangle is just like here, except it's smaller. There's three or four islands, the smallest being about the size of here. And no one who's been lost to the triangle has died. Some of the people there are over 500 years old... you age to how old you'd be when you would die in the real world, then you stay that age forever. If those people left the triangle now, though, they'd be dead before they could even breathe free air."  
  
He paused, obviously remembering life inside the triangle. "I've spent my whole life in there, Cannonfire. I wasn't old enough to remember life out here, and I was curious. Da wanted to get out, to get back here. He obsessed about it, and ma'ma thought he was going mad, even madder than he is now, if that's possible! He found a way out, and took the Pearl with him. Isabelle wanted to get out too - she was born in there, so she wanted to know where she came from. There was a revolt, and many tried to kill Da, but he made it out, with the crew intact. One or two died when they reached the open air, but they knew the risks. I don't know how we got out, when no one else ever has, but I know that other's are going to be claimed by the triangle."  
  
Louisa hugged her knee's to her chest and sighed, "I've always thought the triangle was a scary place... you know, mist and spooky things..." Jamie cut her off, "It is. There wasn't a day when there wasn't fog covering everything, and when you were on land, there always seemed to be water up to your knees, even when you could see your feet. And the noises... some of them had Da running for the Pearl, and it takes a lot to scare Da, you should know that from the stories I've heard here on the shore. Your father's men are scared of Da... he's almost a myth to them!"   
  
Louisa smiled. "I know. He was always someone I wanted to meet, when I was growing up. But I thought I never get the chance! I'm glad I did, though. And I'm glad I met you...."  
  
Jamie stood up, and helped Louisa to her feet. "C'mon, we'd best be getting' back, afore all the ships are fixed, an' they sail off without us sayin' goodbye!"  
  
Louisa grinned, "Aye! I'd hate fer ye to miss sayin' goodbye t' me goin' with Da!" Jamie chased her back to the village, both of them laughing the whole way. The adventure wasn't too far away, and everyone knew it. There was something in the air that whispered about things still to come, and things to happen. No, the adventure wasn't too far away.... 


	10. Chapter 10: The Hand of Midas

Chapter 10: The Hand of Midas  
  
It didn't take long for the ships to be repaired, and set sail. Soon, only two ships remained at dock - the Dauntless, and the Black Pearl. Anamaria was planning to stay with Elizabeth on land to become better reacquainted with her friend, and Jack and Will were sailing on the Pearl, leaving the Dauntless in the river for repairs and cleaning.   
  
There was some disagreement over who was in control, and they finally decided that each captain's order's were first priority to their own crewmembers, and in case of emergency, Jack's orders were absolute. It seemed only fair, considering Will had had twenty years to get used to being in control of things, and Jack had always been in charge. Besides, it was Will who figured out the map. Both of them were looking over the map, trying to find a way inside once Jack pointed out the seam line in the gold. Will had simply pressed a few loose catches and, miracles beyond, the sphere snapped open to reveal several folded pieces of parchment.   
  
Jack, not being the type to read unless absolutely necessary, had handed the job over to Will, who discovered several very useful facts about the treasure they were going after. 1) The treasure itself was a gold, model of a hand, complete with a wooden handle to hod onto. 2) It was indeed cursed. 3) The page telling what the curse actually was, and how it was lifted, was missing. And 4) it turned everything it touched into solid gold, killing any living thing, instantly turning them into statue form. Upon hearing about the curse, Jack merely shrugged, saying, "I knew it'd 'ave a curse. Now we jus' gotta find out how t' lift it, an' we'll be right!"  
  
Will didn't bother to try and change his mind - he'd sailed with Jack too many times to waste his time in trying to change the plan of the pirate. Besides, if all else failed, they could always re-curse themselves with the gold of Cortez before they set out on the journey for good, to save themselves, but as Jack so eloquently put it - "There ain't no adventure when ye have no way of dyin' fer somethin' ye love!"  
  
The Dauntless had been secured, and hidden from sight around the bend in the river, and the Pearl had been restocked and made ready for travel. Most of Jack's crew had chosen to stay on land, and build their own homes in the village, or create a smaller village further up the river. That left Jack with only ten of his own men to crew the Pearl. Will asked only a few of his most trusted men, who were left on land at that moment, bringing the crew to a grand total of twenty one men, plus two captains, plus Jamie, and Will. Louisa was adamant that she should be allowed to go along, but all onboard refused, citing the age-old superstition that it's 'frightful bad luck t' bring a woman on board!'  
  
Isabelle was put out as well, that she couldn't go along, but when she learned that her mother was staying, she didn't push the point as much. Louisa protested until the Pearl sailed away.  
  
"Mother! It's not fair! Why can't I go with them?" she asked, hurt that the only reason she had to stay was because she was a woman. Elizabeth didn't answer, and Louisa went off with Isabelle, to show her the rest of the island. It wasn't huge, but it was about five miles in length, along the front coast, and close to four miles wide, along the central river, which was pretty much straight after the first initial bend.   
  
Grumpily, she led the way, until Isabelle stopped her. "Louisa, ye shouldnae be so upset ye cannae go along! Not every man got to go along this time, an' with the exception o' Da's crew who had the choice, it was only those who were asked! Ye father doesnae want t' see ye hurt, an' from what I heard o' this voyage, it'd be mighty dangerous. Your Da doesnae want t' be looking out fer ye the entire journey, an' he needs to have full attention when it comes t' fightin' if they do any! Ye can argue that ye can look out fer yerself, but with ye here safe, ye Da willnae worry a'tall. Savvy?"   
  
Louisa stopped, and her expression changed from that of unhappiness, to a smile. She glanced at Isabelle, who was trying to stop from laughing, and couldn't hold it in. Both girls collapsed on the beach, tears of laughter rolling down their faces, until they were so worn out, it was all they could do to get to their feet and keep going. A little while up the beach, Louisa stopped. "Thanks... I'm used to being told I can't go because I'm a girl, but then Da's stepped in and I've been allowed to, ye know? But I've ne'er been told by him I cannae go along with them... I see what ye mean now... but thanks anyway."  
  
Isabelle smiled, "Any time, Louisa, any time!" The pair continued on their way, not talking about the sea, but about the island, and what each of them knew about the Isla de Meurta, which wasn't much.  
  
*****  
  
"Ye cannae be serious, Jack! The Isla de Meurta hasn't been visited for years! Plus Barbossa is still there, unless a high tide happened t' wash 'im away!" Will was astounded that Jack would want to visit the Isla after all that had happened, along with what he'd said about not needing the curse to find the Hand of Midas, as it was called. Jack stood at the helm, holding the 'broken compass'. "Will, you can't go around accusing people of not being serious! I am telling ye that we cannot go after this Hand without being properly stocked with enough gold t' pay fer things we need!"  
  
Will left his spot behind the helm and walked up to Jack. "Has bein' away from life fer twenty years caused ye to go soft? You're a *pirate*, Jack, ye don't like the idea of stealing things anymore?" Jack snapped the compass shut, and turned to face Will. They were nose to nose, "You're a pretty good pirate, William Turner, I'll give ye that much, but this is *my* ship, and I don't think you understand the plan o' things. The Pearl is almost unheard of here - you and ye Dauntless an' the rest o' ye fleet are what people fear, not some legendary ship wi' black sails. If we start t' bring attention to the ship, then we'll be chased. An' I have no intention of leading the king's navy to the Hand of Midas, savvy?" Will didn't step back, and finally, Jack simply turned and went back to steering the Pearl.  
  
The Isla de Meurta was exactly as it had been left. Only now, the real skeleton of Barbossa was lying where he'd fallen, and there was a smaller, monkey's skeleton next to it. The moonlight spilled into the holes in the roof of the cavern, covering the two skeletons. "So the blighter *did* make it back t' here!" chuckled Jack about the monkey as he went past the two. Will had never liked the Isla de Meurta, and now it was downright creepy, made even worse by the amount of moonlight. But it was Jack's place, not his, and Jack knew what he was looking for.   
  
After disappearing amongst the mountains of gold and silver, he returned carrying a small wooden box. He didn't open it, and instead grabbed a chest of roughly the same size, and filled it with coins. He threw the chest to Will, who caught it and carried it to the boat, while Jack followed with his box. What neither of them saw, though, was the skeleton of the monkey get up and follow, in the water, after them, still holding a medallion on a thin chain.  
  
At the ship, the chest was taken to one of the cabin's, below deck, and the box was taken straight to Jack's. Will let the crew take the chest off his hands - anything to do with the Isla he was glad to be rid of. Jack, on the other hand, took the box to his cabin himself. He didn't even pause to yell directions, leaving that bit up to Will. "Weigh anchor! Hoist the sails! Make quickly, ye scurvy dogs!" The crew jumped to action as Will walked past and headed down to Jack's cabin.  
  
Inside, he'd opened the box on the desk, and spread it's contents so not a scrap of the desk top was in sight. He looked over his shoulder when he heard the door open, and pointed to the papers. "Ye wouldn't believe that so much would fit in such a tiny box, would ye?" Will shook his head, but Jack didn't notice, as he'd turned back to his desk.  
  
"So what was it about this chest that's so important we had to stop at Isla de Meurta?" Will asked as he walked up beside Jack. Jack grinned, and picked up a sheet of paper. He handed it to Will, who skim read the first few lines, "...and there will be the captain, trapped in his punishment...? Jack? What the hell is this?"   
  
Jack pulled open a drawer on the desk, and removed a small knife. It, too, was solid gold, but this had a difference. He handed it to Will, and turned back to his papers. "Have a look at the end of the handle, Will. If that's not what ye could call proof, then I don't know what is!"  
  
Will turned the knife over carefully in his hand. At the end of the handle there was a small nick, where someone had struck it with a sharp object to remove something that had been attached at some point. Will glanced up at Jack, who was rummaging through the bottom of the box (and more papers). Finally, he emerged holding what looked remarkably like a finger. "That's why ol' Grey disappeared. He used the thing on 'imself, or someone else did, an' he turned into gold. One o' the ships we attacked, just afore the mutiny, we found this. 'Course, at the time we thought it were just a lary box, possibly having maps t' towns or settlements, or somethin'. Then we found the knife, an' the finger. They were connected once, Will. An' whoever was on that ship who owned the box knew where the Hand is... that information has t' be in this box, savvy?"  
  
Will nodded, now having more of an idea what Jack needed the box for. The only problem was, the papers had no direct order. They jumped years at a time, centuries it seemed, in some places. Jack waved Will out of the cabin, and called through the closed door that he was in charge of the ship until he came out. Will was, of course, confused. Since when did Captain Jack Sparrow, of the Black Pearl, entrust his ship to someone he hadn't seen for twenty years?  
  
The ship sailed cleanly for the rest of the day, with Jamie and Will taking it in turns to man the crow's nest. Will didn't complain - so long as things ran smoothly, he wasn't going to hinder the voyage by telling the two younger members of the crew to stop what they were doing simply because it was childish.   
  
Indeed, it could be said that everything went too cleanly. That's why it wasn't such a shock when Jamie called from the crow's nest, "Sail ho!" Will Jr. grabbed one of the ropes and skimmed up to join his friend at the top of the mast, and he called down, "Bootstrap! No black flag, only the English!"   
  
At the helm, Will sent the youngest member of the crew, the cabin boy, to Jack's cabin, requesting orders. The answer was sent back - "Do what needs t' be done, but don't put too many holes in my ship!" Will laughed, and took charge of the Pearl. "You two! Freeman! Bole! Raise the Jolly Rodger! Nine-Cat! Jamie! Get the guns set! The rest o' ye scabbers - set course for the English!"  
  
At the rate the Pearl was travelling, it didn't take long for them to reach the English ship. It was a passenger ship, but it was armed to the teeth, and there were several member's of the English Navy travelling with the rest of the passengers. They were ready for possible pirate attacks, or so they thought. What they were ready for were the stories about pirates being on small ships, with only one or two members of crew.   
  
The ship, The Pacific Jane, turned til it's side was facing the Pearl. "Drop the starboard anchor!" came the yell from Will; the men responded automatically. He let go of the wheel, and it spun the entire ship around. Underneath the deck, Jack was thrown roughly against the wall, but he gathered up the papers and went back to reading, muttering "Not too many holes, Will!"  
  
The guns were set, but they waited for an order before they fired them. Will walked to the edge of the ship, as did the Captain of the Jane. "Name your terms!" called the other captain. Will grinned, "Not all pirates have terms and conditions, Captain. These are our waters, and ye be needin' to pay the toll."  
  
The other captain looked to his men, who shook their heads. "I'm afraid we have nothing to spare, sir. There are none but a few noblemen and soldiers on board, and we have only enough supplies to reach Port Royal," he called out. Will didn't look at him, but at the others behind him, who made as though to say something before thinking better of it and pulling away. Will laughed, and the people on the other ship jumped. "I know ye be lyin', Captain. I don't know what ye have on board, but there be somethin' ye ain't tellin' me, so unless ye reveal it, I do say we be seein' fer ourselves, savvy?"  
  
The Captain turned and spoke to one of the officers behind him, who shook his head. He turned back to Will, and swallowed nervously before speaking. "I... I don't know what you're talking about, sir. We have nothing on board except supplies to get to Port Royal."   
  
Will simply raised an eyebrow, "That is your final comment?" The other captain nodded, and Will turned back to the crew. "Men! Open fire!"  
  
Because the guns were already set, all that had to be done is the fuse to be lit. The Jane had no chance to brace themselves, and men were knocked back from the blasts. "Keep three long boats! Destroy the rest!" called Will as he grabbed a rope and swung over. Several of the men followed him. Jamie and Will loaded a double-ended cannonball into their gun. They aimed slightly higher then they had before, and took out the mast.  
  
On board the Jane, Will sent several men down into the storerooms and galley to search for supplies. Upon their return, they mentioned that there was a shipment of gold bullion's being shipped to Port Royal. The captain, who had escaped being hurt thus far, ran to the door of the storeroom and tried to brace himself. "You cannot steal that! It is for Port Royal, and no one else!" Will held the pistol he carried towards the captain. "Is the gold worth more than your life, *sir*?"   
  
The Captain swallowed, before setting his expression and nodding, "Yes, it is. I'd gladly die for...." He didn't have a chance to finish what he was saying, as Will pulled the trigger and the captain fell, stone dead. "Very sorry, sir. But ye did say ye'd die fer it!"   
  
The few men he'd sent down originally were the ones who took the Jane's supplies and added them to the storeroom of the Pearl. They left the gunpowder, and a fuse. The three long boats that had been saved were brought out. One was loaded with fresh water and food, and the other two were loaded with men who had cooperated with the pirates. The three boats were set on the water, the self-appointed leader given a compass, and pushed off.   
  
The fuse was lit, and the Pearl was almost a mile away when it blew. Only then did Jack come up from underneath. "I did say not too many holes, Will. An' ye did me proud! There's not a scratch on th' Pearl... but we really must keep movin', ye know...."  
  
Taking back control of his ship, he took the helm, and turned the ship almost completely around. Will walked over to him, "What are ye doin'? We've jus' come from that direction, Jack!" Jack only grinned, "Aye, but we missed our turn, Will!" 


	11. Chapter 11: What the?

Chapter 11: What the...?  
  
The Isle was a bit of a surprise to Isabelle. From the sea, it looked like a flat piece of land, with a few clumps of big trees here and there so people couldn't see in, but it wasn't like that at all.   
  
What she'd thought were big clumps of trees were in fact hills and caves, with trees on the top. Behind these hills was the village, and inside the caves were the stockpiles of each ship in the fleet. The name of each ship was marked at the entrance to each cave, and the entire place was rigged with traps and snares to stop strangers from entering the caves. Louisa knew every trap, and how to get around them - it was a matter of safety, and also because her father had shown her.   
  
He and Will Jr. were usually the ones to build each snare, and tell the captain of the ship how to get through. It was then up to the captain to change the snare to suit himself, but most didn't bother to. Besides, none of the other's had the same metalworking skills as did Bootstrap.  
  
Louisa stepped over the snare, showing Isabelle the way, and climbed through the opening into the last cave. The front of this cave had two markings on it - the first was a cannon, with a boot, the symbol for the Dauntless, and Bootstrap, and the second had the image of an oyster concealing a pearl, and a sword - the symbol decided upon for the Black Pearl, and Jack.   
  
Isabelle paused, and pointed at the images. "Why is there a symbol for the Pearl here?" she asked, and Louisa looked out from inside the cave, "That's from when my father was your father's first mate. They had the Dauntless, but couldn't sail it straight away because the navy were still out looking for it, so they combined efforts, and decided to make a double holding. That was before you guys... disappeared. This is the biggest cave - it goes almost all over the island underground, and it leads into all the other caves, even if the opening is only the size of a window!"  
  
Louisa ducked back inside the cave, and Isabelle followed, somewhat hesitantly - dark places had never appealed to her. It wasn't that she was afraid of the dark - she had never had a chance to be scared of it - she was afraid of what was in it. Life inside the triangle had taught her that the dark could hold all sorts of... interesting... things.  
  
Inside the cave wasn't as dark as the opening suggested though. Partly due to the fact that along one wall of the cave, a row of torches were lit. Louisa stood near another opening, holding one of the torches. "My mother's down here. She always comes down when Da leaves - she says it makes him feel closer to her. I know the part where she goes, so we can stay away from there. She's usually upset, and I don't want to bother her...."  
  
Nodding in agreement, Isabelle followed Louisa through the opening, bypassing the second opening where the torches continued to line the walls. Louisa explained as she walked, "There's only torches heading towards mother's area - Da put them in when mother confessed to coming down here - it was so she could see where to go." Isabelle didn't say anything, just followed her friend, trying not to be nervous of the dark, and what it concealed.  
  
After walking for what felt like hours, they appeared to be trapped by a solid rock wall. Isabelle sighed in dismay, "Ye mean that we've come all this way an' we can't get through to what ye wanted to show me?" Louisa shook her head, laughing. "No, just hold on for a minute..." she felt over the wall, until she found what she was looking for. "Here it is... stand back," she said, and pulled down on the small catch. The wall rumbled, and finally swung open. Isabelle gasped - no one could have been prepared for what was inside.  
  
*****  
  
Jack never once said where he was sailing. As far as Will Jr. could tell, they were going back to the Isle, but he wasn't going to attempt to ask Jack for bearings again - he'd almost lost his head when he'd done that several hours beforehand. Leaning on the edge of the crow's nest, Will sighed, and looked down at the men scurrying over the deck. A small noise brought his attention to the fact that someone was climbing the rigging.   
  
Several seconds later, Jamie appeared. Will shook his head and looked away. "C'mon Nine-cat! Ye cannae stay up 'ere forever!" Jamie swung himself over the edge and knelt down, leaning against the side. Will looked back at his friend, "Why not? Someone needs t' be up 'ere to watch out for ships, and land, don't they?" Jamie thought about it for a minute, and grinned, "Aye, that they do. But it doesnae say that it must be you, does it?"   
  
Will shook his head in disbelief. "With me up 'ere, Da can't lose his head. And I can stay away from *your* father - he almost took my head *off*!" Jamie laughed, "Aye, well, when he was mutinied it was after he'd given up the bearings to Barbossa, his first mate. He's pretty jumpy when someone stands behind him an' says 'what's the bearings o' where we going?' An' wouldn't you be?"  
  
Will nodded, "Aye, I guess I would be.... But, t' tell the truth, it's *my* Da who scares me." Jamie looked up, "Aye?" Will nodded, "Aye. I always knew he didn't hesitate t' kill a man, but he didn't even flinch when he pulled the trigger... he always used to, ye know. An' now he doesn't... he's a real pirate, an' I never noticed...."  
  
Jamie laughed, "That's all yer worried about? My Da lost the flinch years afore he and your father met... don't worry - it jus' means they're startin' to enjoy their jobs. Nothin' too serious." Will smiled sarcastically. "Thanks, Jamie. That's real helpful." Jamie grinned, "Anytime, mate!"  
  
Standing up again, Jamie swung back over the edge and began his descent back to the deck, Part way down, he looked up and yelled, "If yer plannin' t' stay up there forever, ye can find yer own food! It's time fer dinner!" Will laughed, and after contemplating staying where he was, decided to go down. It was getting dark, and the storm that was approaching was starting to bring big swells over the side of the ship.  
  
Touching down on deck, he found he was alone, and the sun had disappeared completely. The sea seemed to have calmed momentarily, as no waves broke the deck. It was surprisingly very dark, and if he hadn't known the deck, he would have fallen overboard. Before he'd made it to the door, however, someone stepped out in front of him. "Ye cannae go that way, boy. There be trouble in this journey bein' planned, an' ye must take warning!"  
  
Will didn't recognize the voice, and the first thing he thought of was that they had a stowaway, but the only place there'd been a chance for someone to board had been when they'd sunk the passenger ship, and no one had, because the first thing to happen was the ship be searched from top to bottom. The man walked towards him, and he stepped back, involuntarily. The man continued to walk towards him, and Will lost all pretences and walked back definitely.   
  
Finally the man stopped. Will was at the very edge of the ship, and the man was no more than a few feet away. "Look, I don't know who the hell ye are, but get the hell off this ship!" The man didn't say anything, but Will could have sworn he smiled. "Ye will not take heed of my warning? Well, ye aren't the first to make that mistake. This journey will only end in disaster for ye, William Turner. An' fer all the crew onboard - ye must stop this voyage afore it all ends in disaster!"  
  
Will found some of the courage that had disappeared when he'd first faced the man, "I can't stop this if I tried, and ye have no place tellin' me what I can and cannae do!" The man dropped his head. "I thought ye'd say that, Mr. Turner. An' I do pity ye, my boy."  
  
Without warning, he stepped the last few feet forwards, and pushed Will overboard, into the water, which had seemed to return to it's stormy self. He sank under the water, where it was a little more peaceful, he suddenly realised that to get back to the surface of the water, he'd have to *swim*.   
  
He started the swim to the surface, though he felt as though someone had hold of his feet and were trying to pull him back down. After what felt like an age, he broke the surface of the water, trying to take a breath to ease the pain in his chest. Almost at once he was swamped by a wave, and pushed back under. He closed his eyes, trying to clear the salt water from them, and he saw flashes of the man onboard behind his eyes. The voice still rang in his ears, and for the first time, he was actually afraid of the ocean.   
  
Breaking the surface once again, he opened his eyes to see the Pearl close by. He barely had time to glance up, and see the crew standing at the edge, before he was pushed back under again.  
  
The voice rang out again, it seemed to echo under the water, and Will covered his ears with his hands. "This journey will end in disaster for ye, William Turner!" He couldn't take it - he yelled. As loud and as unrestrained as what was possible underwater. It was then he realised that it wasn't such a good idea, being underwater and all, because of the lack of oxygen available.  
  
Kicking for the surface, he found himself face to face with a thick piece of rope. Above the roar of the ocean, he could hear someone yelling, "Grab th' rope, Nine-cat!" Reaching for the rope, another wave sent him under, and it slipped from his grasp.  
  
The man's voice echoed yet again, "It will end in disaster, William Turner, it will end in DEATH!" The last word rung through several times, almost as though shock waves were running through the whole of the ocean. He kicked for the surface, and managed to find the rope floating near his head. He grabbed it with both hands, twisting it around his wrists, not caring that the arrival of a sudden, strong wave could manage to break both his wrists.   
  
The men onboard pulled their end of the rope, and Will rose several feet out of the water, only his legs were still submerged. Looking up, what he saw he guessed could only be a hallucination. The man, the same man from onboard the ship, was walking across the water, heading towards Will, still speaking. "Ye will end up dead, William Turner. No matter what ye do, unless ye stop and go back to where ye came from, ye will end up dead!"  
  
Will couldn't help himself, he yelled, "Shut up! You're nothing! You're not real!" The man didn't say anything, just started to laugh. He was still laughing as the men onboard hauled him onto the deck, and dragged him down to the crew's quarters.   
  
Jamie was the most shaken - he hadn't expected his friend to be washed overboard by a wave that could have been avoided so easily. And now that Will was back onboard, he was still slightly shaken, because of what he was saying. Will tried to get away from the men who held him down on the hammock. Jack and Will Sr. were the two holding him down, though they were saying nothing. Will Jr. continued to yell, "You can't do this! You're not real!"  
  
Finally, he wore himself out, and fainted. Jack looked at his partner, and gave a half-laugh. "Ye know, ye do have remarkable similarities, Will." 


	12. Chapter 12: I'm dishonest, honestly

Chapter 11: I'm dishonest, honestly  
  
The cavern was almost completely full of gold, silver, and various other treasures and precious items. One entire cavern wall had been made into a row of untidy shelves, and books, papers, compasses, sextants, and other sailing equipment spilled off onto the floor. Another wall was being renovated to include a built-in desk, and more shelves. But none of that shocked Isabelle and Louisa - no, that was expected.  
  
The most shocking thing in the room was a cage, standing in the corner. Inside the cage, from the roof, hung three ropes, and attached to these ropes were three skeletons. One wore a commodore's uniform, another wore regular soldiers clothing, and the last wore the high-collared piece commonly associated with high-ranking officials in the king's court. This in itself was shocking, but what was downright scary was the fact that the skeletons were real, and they didn't stink.  
  
If the men had surely died in the cavern, they'd have still carried a stench that the strongest cleaning products couldn't remove - but there was no stench. Isabelle walked over to the edge of the cage, hesitantly. Louisa was still standing in the doorway, breathless, not sure if she should attempt to approach with her friend.   
  
Isabelle paused at the desk, and picked up a few loose papers. She motioned Louisa over, and pointed out several lines on the page. "This is a... a journal. Is this your father's cavern?" she asked, and Louisa shook her head. "No, that's the scary part. I must have pulled the wrong catch, there's another one on the wall, but I've never tried it before!"  
  
Isabelle looked up from the paper, and handed it over, before looking at the skeletons more closely. "Someone knew these people, and kept the skeletons for a reason.... Do the pages tell us anything that could identify these people?" she asked, turning back to Louisa, who shook her head. "No, not from what I've read... but maybe we'd better go - what if the guy who owns this cavern is still on the island? Not all of the men left - I don't want to be caught down here by a guy who keeps dead people as a souvenir!" She put the papers back on the desk, and headed for the exit. Isabelle followed, but she picked up the papers that Louisa had put back on the table.   
  
Louisa turned around when she reached the door, but Isabelle had already concealed them in her belt, under her skirt. Once outside, the wall was closed, and Louisa found the right catch. This time the wall swung a different way, revealing an opening to a room far more impressive than the first.  
  
There were five walls, and three were lines neatly with wooden boards slotted into gashes in the wall. The books that lined these walls were old, dusty, and obviously valuable. They were shelved neatly, with bookends at the start and finish of each small shelf. The lower shelves were lines with rolled up maps, compasses, sextants, and other equipment almost identical to that in the first room. The room itself was huge, almost like the cavern at the Isla de Meurta, and had a raised section in the middle surrounded by water, though not quite as high-piled as like at Isla de Meurta. The outside of the raised section was piled high, with everything from knives and swords, to women's dresses and other articles of clothing, to the regular gold and pieces of eight.   
  
Isabelle paused at the small desk, properly built into the fourth wall, and let her fingers run over the short sword that hung above it. It was finely made, and would obviously never be used again - the blade was whittled down so fine it was a wonder it had lasted so long without breaking. Louisa waited in the doorway. "This is Da's room... He doesn't mind me comin' in here, so long as I don't bring the locals in. But you're not local, so ye'd be givin' permission!"  
  
Isabelle nodded, "Thanks...." Louisa walked fully into the room, and headed for the desk. When she'd been younger, Will had always brought her into the room and told her to look in the top drawer of the desk, and there'd always be a small something inside for her. This time was no exception; a small golden hair-clip lay atop a folded piece of parchment with her name on it. She picked both up, but didn't bother to read he note, as her attention had been caught by something else.  
  
Louisa picked up the paper that lay on the desk; it looked as though someone had thrown it there in a hurry. Isabelle stopped looking at the various books on the shelves, and walked over to her friend. "What have ye found?" she asked, and Louisa handed over the paper. Isabelle read it quickly, then looked up at Louisa. "Ye can't be serious...?" Louisa couldn't do anything but nod. "It looks like, aye?"  
  
*****  
  
After several days of fitful sleep, Will Jr. was finally up to going back above deck. It seemed that everyone was tiptoeing around him, careful not to make any sudden movements in case he was a bomb about to explode. He'd told Jamie what had happened, but Jamie had simply looked at him as though he were mad. "Yer nothin' but a fool, Nine-cat. I went down first, an' ye followed after. I got t' the door, an' looked back, an' ye were standin' halfway between th' mast an' the edge. A wave come along, an' I yelled out. Ye didnae move, an' I thought ye were jus' jokin' 'round, but ye didnae move until th' wave swept ye o'erboard. There was no man on th' deck, 'cept me 'n' you, 'til I called for th' crew, savvy?"  
  
Knowing that no one would believe him, Will had agreed, and let Jamie do the explaining from then on about what happened. He didn't even bother to correct little mistakes, like Jamie running to pull him out of the way of the wave, but not getting there fast enough. By the time that story had gotten around, though, most people had already heard the original version, and only listened for the sake of hearing a good story.  
  
Jack, though, had heard the tale Jamie had been told, about the man onboard. It was true that the events happened like Jamie had explained, but no man would drive himself to fainting if their own story were not at least partially true. Before the week was out, he took the younger Will aside, in the galley of the ship. "I heard the story Jamie-boy put around, and I heard what ye told him - what did the man look like, Will?" Will was taken aback - he'd thought the only person around to hear the tale was Jamie!  
  
"He... he was tall, abou' a head taller than me... which'd make him almost 7-foot tall...." He seemed surprised to say that out loud, which wasn't surprising - at over six-foot, Will was the tallest man on board, though Jack, and Jamie were only just shorter, and it would have taken several goes, and Will off his guard to throw him overboard by one of the crewmembers. Walking past a closed barrel of rum, Jack stopped and leaned on the top of the huge case. "Aye, but what did he *look* like? Beard? Hat? Patched eye? Wooden leg? A bloody parrot? What did the dog look like?"   
  
Will leant against the table, rubbing his temples. "He had a hat on, so I couldn't really see his face, but he had both his arms, and I don't think he had a wooden leg, 'cause when he moved there was no clunking noise.... He was big, too, solid muscle... I'd come off second best if it were a flat out brawl, and I'd be leavin' the fight in a coffin... why? Why ye askin' me all this 'bout the guy that only I saw, and only I think exists?" Jack didn't answer, just stood up from his leaning place, and walked around the table until he was face to face with Will. "What did 'e say to ye, Will? A warning? A promise? A threat?"  
  
Will managed a half-laugh. "Put like that, none o' those options sound too good...." Jack raised his eyebrows, and Will sighed, "He... he said if I didn't stop the journey and turn back to home, it'd end in death." Jack looked as though he'd been poked with a sword; his attention suddenly became fixed solely on Will. "Death? Did he say whose death?" Will shook his head, "No, all he said was that the journey would end in disaster for ev'ryone on board... I don't know if that means ev'ryone will die, or if the Pearl will sink, or the treasure won't be as to what we expected, or if one person onboard would end up dead - he wasnae very specific!"  
  
Jack dropped his head, "Aye, he wouldn't be, would he? Murderous fool - how many pirates walkin' 'round on top o' the ocean *would* be specific? I must 'ave a word wi' him, if I ever gets t' meet 'im!" Will wasn't sure if the captain was talking to him, or to himself - he seemed almost in a dreamland.   
  
Will started to say something, but Jack suddenly came to his senses. "What ye be doin' still here, Will? Back t' the deck, wi' ye!" Will nodded, and headed for above deck, leaving the pirate captain to mutter to himself. 


	13. Chapter 13: The truth comes out

lilitaliandragon: reading back, I agree that she said it a few too many times, but I didn't pick up on that when I wrote it (oops, sorry!)... and Will's behaviour... I *can* explain about that, but I can't at the moment, because, well, it'd be a spoiler, and I really don't want to give too much away. I'm trying to make the story unpredictable, sort of like the movie was, and (I've been writing ahead of my posts) a friend who's reading it through for me says it's... using her exact words... different.  
  
Chapter 13: The truth comes out  
  
Louisa didn't mention the second room to her mother, or anyone. Even Isabelle didn't mention it, as much as she wanted to. All she said was that Louisa had taken her through the caves, and no one questioned it any further.   
  
But the papers still weighed heavily on her mind. Things that were written shouldn't have been read by anyone - let alone two girls exploring. She knew she should have told Louisa that she'd taken them, but in doing so, she'd have had to admit that she knew about them. What it explained was gruesome, but not unfamiliar to a survivor of the Bermuda Triangle....   
  
Elizabeth had prepared rooms for Anamaria, and Isabelle, until it was arranged that a house be built for them - there were pirates with woodworking and building skills who were paid to do most of the house building, and they usually put their land-skills in front of their sea-skills. Isabelle sat on the bed in her room, spreading the papers out in front of her. It was an easy way to look at all things at once - something her father had taught her.  
  
Footsteps passed her door, and she was glad she'd remembered to lock it. If anyone saw the papers, including her father when he returned, she would have a lot of explaining to do, something she wasn't sure she had to courage for. Explanations were something Jack Sparrow liked to have as downpat with his family as could be - including when, where, why, how, and everything else that went along with it. Explaining things were not Isabelle's forte. Which was why the papers were going to be hidden until she could figure out what they had to do with the Triangle, and why they were in the real world.  
  
"Bella! Where are you?" Anamaria had never lost her loud voice, and Isabelle hurriedly shoved the papers under her pillow before opening the door. Anamaria had been about to knock, and was slightly surprised that her daughter beat her to the door. "Did ye hear my call?" she asked, crossing her arms, and Isabelle dropped her head, "Aye, I did, but I didn't know if ye wanted me to go down to ye or if ye'd come lookin' for me...." Anamaria sighed, "Ye have to remember ye ain't onboard a ship at the moment, Bella! If ye're called on a ship, someone can point out where ye be, but on land, an' in a house so grand as this, I don't know if ye even be *in* the house... savvy?"  
  
Isabelle nodded, and followed her mother down the stairs, and outside to the verandah. Louisa was changed from the light dress she'd worn when they'd been exploring, to a heavier dress, including corset. Isabelle mouthed, "What's happening?" to Louisa, who merely shrugged. Elizabeth said something quietly to Anamaria, who nodded, and turned back to Isabelle, who stood up straight, letting her hands sit behind her back. "Elizabeth and I have spoken, Bella, an' we've decided that ye need t' be taught t' be a lady, savvy?" Isabelle looked as though someone had forced her to eat lemons.   
  
"What? No, I... ye can't... what would Da say?" she managed to stammer. Even Louisa looked shocked, "That's why I have t' wear this heavy thing? This is the *Caribbean*! It's too hot t' be wearin' heavy dresses!" Elizabeth sent her daughter a warning glance, and Louisa stopped talking. Isabelle, on the other hand, looked nauseated. "I have t' wear a heavy dress, an' a shift, an' a corset, and ev'rything?" Anamaria nodded, and turned back to Elizabeth. "Have ye got the dress wi' ye, or shall I go an' find one of Louisa's?" Elizabeth smiled, and walked back inside the house, Louisa followed her, protesting quietly the entire way. Anamaria sat down on the swinging seat, and looked at her daughter. Isabelle crossed her arms, and glared at her mother. "Ye didnae answer me, ma'ma - what will Da say when he finds out?"   
  
Anamaria laughed, "Your father will be gone for a few months at least yet, Louisa, and if ye're ever t' be left t' fend for yeself, ye must be able t' act like a lady, or else ye'll be treated as a servant!" Isabelle looked at the ground, before glancing up sharply. "I'll be treated as a servant no matter how much ye try t' make me a lady, ma'ma. In case ye forgot, *you* are the daughter of a slave, an' ye have the colour of a slave. Unless I'm blind, ma'ma, I have half that colour - jus' because my father is white doesnae make me white too!"  
  
Anamaria looked shocked, almost embarrassed, and Isabelle suddenly realised what she'd done. "Ma'ma, I'm sorry, I didnae mean it like that! But no matter how much ye try t' make me into a lady, it willnae work... noblewomen are as white as the sand in the Triangle!" Anamaria's face closed up, revealing no expression. "Isabelle, as my daughter, I am doing only what's best for ye, an' I think ye deserve t' get some o' the skills I ne'er had a chance to, savvy?"  
  
Isabelle dropped her gaze, "Savvy, ma'ma." At that moment, Louisa returned, still wearing her corset, but not the heavy dress. Instead, she'd donned a simple, white cotton dress. It looked a lot lighter than the other dress she'd had on, but she still looked uncomfortable. "Isabelle, mother wants ye... I mean, you, to go into the bathroom. She'll help you put the corset on - trust me, you won't like it, but it's not quite as bad once you've had it on for a while...." The two girls walked inside the house, leaving Anamaria to lean back against the backrest of the chair, and wonder exactly how much of her daughter's insults were meant.  
  
*****  
  
"Land ho!" came the call from the crow's nest, and Jamie looked up from where he was retying ropes for the sails. Ahead of them was a small island, completely covered by buildings. He looked at his father, who was standing at the helm with a grin on his face. "Tortuga approaches, gents!" he yelled, and Will (Sr.) turned around from where he'd been leaning against a pile of barrels, staring out at the sea they'd traveled over already. "Tortuga?" he asked, and Jack grinned, "Aye, Tortuga."  
  
Tortuga was as rowdy and unkempt as it had always been. Walking through a narrow alleyway, the house railings above them were littered with drunks, and prostitutes, drinking, laughing, and having a general good time. The crew had been told they were staying for two days, no longer, and any man not at the dock by the time they were to leave was to be left behind. In the town center, the crew split up, leaving Jack, Jamie, and the two Will's standing, looking slightly bewildered.   
  
Out of nowhere, a young girl, around Jamie's age, stalked up, and stopped in front of the younger Will. Jack rubbed the side of his face absently, and watched as the girl glared at Will. "And where've you been?" she asked, suspicion etched into every word. Will looked at his father, who was trying to keep from laughing. "Ah, Cherie, I've been around. On th' Dauntless, th' Black Pearl..." he didn't have a chance to finish, her hand snaked out of nowhere, and caught the side of his face, swinging him around. Jack tried not to laugh, and Will glared at him before turning back to Cherie. "Not so sure I deserved that. Why did I deserve that?" he asked the furious Cherie. "Ye ain't nothin' but a liar, Mr. Turner! Th' Black Pearl sunk a long time ago, afore our time!"   
  
This was something Jack couldn't stand, he stepped forwards, interrupting Will's explanation. "The Pearl? Sunk? I don't be thinkin' so, dearie. If the Black Pearl had sunken, I'd have gone down with me ship, an' I'm still around, ain't I?" Cherie looked at Jack, disbelief etched into every pore on her face, "And you're Jack Sparrow?" Jack sighed, "*Captain* Jack Sparrow, dearie, and you are...?"   
  
Cherie grinned smugly, "Me ma's gonna be happy t' hear your back in the Caribbean - she owes you a slap - I'm Scarlet's daughter, Cherie." Jack flinched, "P'raps ye'd best keep the fact that I'm back to yeself..." Jack didn't have a chance to finish, as an older Scarlet walked out the the alleyway beside them. "Scarlet! Long time...." Jack suddenly found himself spinning around to face an amused Cherie. Scarlet was still waiting when he turned back, "Now, I know I didn't deserve that...."   
  
Scarlet, hands on hips, raised her eyebrows. "Ye left withou' payin' yer bill, Jack! The Tavern nearly went outa business cause o' you!" She flounced away, leaving Jack to rub his face in disbelief. "It were twenty years ago, Scarlet!" he called after her, and turned around to find himseld face-to-face with another familiar face. "Gisele!" he said, feigning happiness. Gisele's eyes narrowed, and Jack barely had time to brace himself for the slap. "Now, I do believe there was somethin' I was meant t' do afore I left, an' forgot t', so p'raps I did deserve that...but maybe not." He didn't have a chance to ask her what his slap was for, as she was already walking away.   
  
Will Jr. wasn't faring much better. After Cherie had left, in a slightly better mood, Rachael had come up, and also slapped him without warning. She hadn't given him time to explain, simply stalked off angrily, giving Will an excuse to leave the small group, and go after her. That left Jamie, Will, and Jack in the circle. "Well," stated Jack matter-of-factly. "We need to find Gibbs!"  
  
Will looked at Jack astounded, "Gibbs? He hasn't been seen for years, Jack - he took a ship and crew to Italy, and the last news we heard was that it'd sunken...." Jack didn't say anything, just walked towards the old pig-coop in his usual hypnotic way.   
  
Upon arrival at the coop, Will had looked around, and saw no sign that anyone had been living there for some years, at least. Even the pigs were gone. Jack didn't seem to notice any of this, just sauntered past a ladder, and reached up the floor of the loft. He grinned when he found a catch, and pulled, stepping back as he did so, letting piles of straw fall out onto the floor. Amidst the sound of straw falling to the floor, there was a large 'thump', and the shape of a man was visible. Pushing the straw out of the way, Jack helped a shaken-looking Gibbs to his feet.   
  
He looked much older than he had the last time Will had seen him, but he was still the loyal, good-natured crew-finding helper Will remembered him to be. "Jack? What the hell are ye doin' back in the Caribbean? It don't matter - but it's bad luck t' wake a man, Jack, an' unless ye remember the counter for it, we'll both be in fer it!" Jack laughed, and knelt beside his old friend, "Aye, I remember the counter, an' this time I'm *not* in need o' a crew, so ye can thank yer lucky stars fer that!"  
  
Helping the older man to his feet, Jack stepped back, and almost tripped over his son, who was staring at Gibbs like he'd seen a ghost. "You? I know you... you tried to kill me at Port Royal!" he blurted out quite suddenly, and Jack looked from his son, to Gibbs, who looked ashamed. "I'm sorry, lad, if I'da known ye were with Jack, an' Will, I would ne'er have." Jamie still stared at Gibbs as though he was going to suddenly come for him with a sword, but he didn't say anything. Jack, on the other hand, held his hand poised over his sword. "Ye tried t' kill me *son*?" he sounded offended, and caused Gibbs to double-take. "Your... son? I never... I didn't know, Jack. If I had, I'da helped the lad, and given 'im some of my stuff, instead of chasin' 'im after he stole me gear!" Jack looked momentarily confused, but shrugged, and led the rest of the group to the tavern.   
  
Scarlet pounced on him as soon as he walked through the door. "Ye can't stay in 'ere 'til ye pay yer bill, *Captain*," she said right into his ear, so he couldn't feign deafness. Sighing, he reached into his pocket and pulled out two shillings, "There ye go, Scarlet. Now, if ye don' mind, we'd like some drinks - ale all round, t' start with. An' some rooms, too. Be a good lass, and settle us in, savvy?"   
  
Moving in his regular way, and flirting with both his eyes and hands, he soon had Scarlet fulfilling his every request with a smile. It did wonders for the girl's face, and she looked years younger.   
  
The table chosen by Will and Jack for the conversation was close enough to the action that no one could overhear, but far enough away so that Gibbs could hear what was being said. Will let Jack do all the speaking, but refused to let Jamie listen in, telling him to keep an eye out. For what, Jamie didn't know, but he figured it was a miracle his father hadn't tried to lose him in the crowd so far.   
  
Jack waited until Scarlet brought over their drinks, whispering in her ear that she'd better be waiting for him after work, before he got on with his conversation with Gibbs. Will, he explained, was only there to fill in the bits that were missing. "It's risky business, what ye plannin' t' do, Jack. But how d'ye know ye ain't gonna end up cursed?"  
  
Jack grinned, "There is a curse, but I happen to know the cure...." That caught Will's attenion, and he stopped looking around the bar for people he knew, and turned his attention back to the conversation at hand. Gibbs looked surprised, "No one's ever known the cure, 'cept fer ol' Grey himself! How can ye know all this 'bout the Hand, an' still be alive, Jack? The men who knew that died soon after they found it - all accidents at sea, they said, but I don't reckon it were...."  
  
Jack looked interested, "What kind of accidents?" Gibbs had to think before he answered, "Mostly big storms at sea, they were washed o'erboard, an' the crew could ne'er get a rope to 'em in time. But they weren't accidents, no sir, ol' Grey don't want anyone else findin' his treasure, an' he's makin' sure that ev'ryone who knows is dead - ye'd best watch the weather, Jack."   
  
As the only person, besides Will Jr, who actually knew about the man on board wasn't in hearing range, Jack listened intently to the stories the few survivors had told before their deaths at a later date. Gibbs was as superstitious as they came, and every little thing that was related to bad luck he knew about. This was one of those things - but he had been proved wrong several times over. He only hoped he was wrong about his one as well. 


	14. Chapter 14: Tales of a cabin boy

Chapter 14: Tales of a cabin boy  
  
The stay in Tortuga had been extended by a day, seeing as Gibbs was planning to come along, and had to get rid of several objects he didn't feel were worthwhile to take with him. And if he were to rely on his superstitious ways, he didn't think he'd be coming back from this journey.   
  
The men hadn't questioned the extended stay - most had mistresses on the island, and were pleased for the extra time. Will Jr. didn't actually reappear until several minutes before the original cast-off time, and was then more than happy to disappear for another day. Jamie disappeared at some point as well, after he heard about the extra time, and reappeared, with Will in tow, just as the ship was about to leave. Jack sent both boys to the galley, and set the rest of the crew to work. They'd all been expecting explosions from the two captains, but neither of them had yelled. They hadn't said much of anything.  
  
Down in the galley, both Will and Jamie were suddenly finding it very hard to keep their stomachs down. The smell of the salted meat was particularly strong, and the rising vapors from that night's meal continued toward towards where they were working, mopping the tar onto the floor.   
  
"This is *your* fault, Nine-cat! If ye hadn't run off after that floozy we'd have managed t' find a few better things t' do then play cards an' drink rum 'til we couldnae stand up!" Jamie was in a foul mood - it was just something caused by drunkenness wearing off. Will wasn't faring much better. The smells of the galley were driving him crazy.  
  
"Yeah, well, ye didnae have t' follow me, did ye?" He slopped the tar-covered mop over the floor with a little too much effort, causing the ship's cook to glare at him. The cook wasn't one to speak much, just occasionally yelling for them to get out of his way.  
  
Jamie leaned on his mop, taking a slight break, "'Tis not the point, Nine-cat. Ye shouldnae go 'round by yeself in places like Tortuga - three times men tried t' kill ye last night, an' if I hadnae been there, ye wouldnae be alive at the moment, savvy?" Will stopped as well, and looked down at the still-wet tar on the galley floor. "Savvy - but 'tis easy for ye t' say - no one at Tortuga knows ye, some know ye father, but only in stories. Da is a big part o' Tortuga, an' a lot o' people want him out o' the way. If getting' rid o' me can help 'em, then that's what they'll try t' do."  
  
The cook stopped work, and sent a sharp glare towaeds the two, who both sighed, and went back to work, occasionally sending sharp glances at one another. Recovering from alcohol did not put people in a good mood.   
  
Above deck, one of the crew members, the fifteen-year old cabin boy, was trying to work up the courage to talk to Jack. Finally Jack himself saw the boy's trouble, and walked over to where he was emptying the cooks leftovers. "I heard ye wanted t' ask me somethin', boy." Jack's prompting was more of a statement, and the cabin boy dropped his gaze.   
  
"Aye, sir... two things, actually...." The boy seemed almost afraid to keep talking - Will had found him in Tortuga and offered him a chance to see more of the world. As cabin boy, he was the lowest ranking person on the ship, who usually only took direct orders from the cook. Jack gestured with his hands, "Go on, ask away."  
  
Taking a breath, the boy started, "Well, I was... I was wonderin' why ye didnae yell at the two men who came back last, an' were drunk... ye yelled at ev'ryone else who was late, an' the two men were last o' all." Jack grinned. "Aye, I s'pose ye would be wonderin' 'bout that. Ye see, lad, ;tis no good yellin' at a man when 'e's drunk - it goes in one ear an' straight out the other. But, ye give the man a job where he'll learn somethin' 'bout being late to the ship, and drunk along wi' it, an' that lesson sticks a lot longer. Ye can yell at a drunk man 'til ye end up with a blue face, but a drunk man ain't got any shame, so it don't work. That's why ye ended up 'ere, above deck, an' those two scallywags are down there doin' *your* usual duties, savvy?"  
  
The boy nodded, and dropped his gaze once again. "Aye... I s'pose... I s'pose it's a hard lesson learned, aye?" Jack laughed, "Aye, somethin' like that. An' ye said ye had somethin' else t' ask me?" The boy nodded, suddenly very nervous of the pirate captain. "Do... did... I mean, d'ye think ye have all the information 'bout the Hand o' Midas that ye need?"  
  
This was a question that brought Jack Sparrow up short. What did the kid know about the Hand? Kack leaned in slyly, "Well, one can ne'er have too much information, can he? What can ye tell me 'bout it, lad?" The cabin boy glanced up, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "I can do more'n tell ye what I know, Cap'n - at Tortuga they used t' call me Slip-up - meanin' two things. The first was that I was always fallin' inta things, an' bein' a downright clumsy fool, but fallin' o'er things has it's own advantages - people ain't so worried 'bout a pickpocket when they think they're helpin' a clumsy kid, savvy?" At Jack's nod, the boy continued.  
  
"Well, I was in th' bar where you, an' mister Vibbs were talkin', an' I heard him mention the Hand o' Midas. There's only a few reasons ye can hear the same thing mentioned in th' same day by completely different people, an' them reason's ain't so good. I figured I do a bit o' investigatin'. I figured ye were reasonably a good man, seein' as Bootstrap was wi' ye, - he's brought a lot o' business into Tortuga - so I went back t' check th' other guy." The boy stopped at a shout from the direction of the door leading downstairs, and both he and Jack looked to see the cook standing in the doorway looking for him. Jack caught the cook's eye, and waved slightly, causing the cook to look embarrassed and go back underneath.   
  
He turned back to the boy, "Go ahead, lad. Ye went back to the other guy..." The boy nodded, "Aye, an' he's got these pieces o' paper. So I walks up to 'im, an' asks him the usual things, 'can I clean yer shoes, sir?', 'do ye need a hand wi' anything, sir?'. O' course he refuses, an' I turn t' walk away, but I trip o'er a crate lyin' on the path, and land on the guy. 'Sorry, sir,' I says, an' he helps me up, an' sends me on me way. But, he don't know that I now have his papers, an' the Hand o' Midas is a big part o' them papers, Cap'n."  
  
Jack nodded, deep in thought. Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad to have a pick-pocketing cabin boy on board. "An' what price d'ye want for the papers, lad? I cannae take 'em from ye - even if ye offered - 'tis not right wi' the code, savvy?" The boy had made as though to say something, but looked away instead. "Well," he said after a few minutes, "there is one thing...." Jack nodded, "Name yer price, lad, an' if I can, I will."  
  
Gaining more confidence, the boy looked Jack in the eye, "I want t' learn how t' fight wi' a sword - an' between you an' me, I'd prefer you t' teach me. the last kid Bootstrap was teachin' lost an ear when they weren't even fightin' proper!" Jack laughed, "Aye, we have an accord. I'll teach ye how t' fight proper wi' a sword, an' ye'll give me the papers, savvy?" He held out his hand, and the boy shook it. For such a small boy, he had a strong handshake - strong hands handle strong swords.  
  
*****  
  
"One step, two step, three step... Isabelle, ye must watch where ye be goin', not ye feet!" Elizabeth's voice occasionally lost it's proper accent, slipping into pirate slang. Isabelle couldn't, for the life of her, figure out how women could walk in high-heeled boots - it was a skill far beyond her. Elizabeth was a strict teacher - but then again, she'd grown up in the society. "Try again, and remember, face up - look where you want to go, not where your feet are, ok? One step, small step, three... oh, Isabelle!"  
  
Anamaria walked into the room, still a little hurt from her daughter's comments several days before. "How ye doin'?" she asked, and Isabelle rolled her eyes sarcastically. "I cannae walk if I cannae see my feet, an' if I must look up, I cannae look down! It's impossible! How can a woman walk like this?"  
  
Anamaria laughed, "I don't know 'bout a woman, but yer father wore it once!" Isabelle looked up, surprised, "What? Da? He wore the dress, an' the boots, an' all?" Anamaria shook her head, "Not quite all - he refused t' wear a corset, but aye, he wore the boots, an' the dress, an' the petticoats. But he added a Spanish head-veil t' cover his beard an' hair - he looked a right picture, he did!"  
  
Isabelle laughed, trying to picture her father in a woman's outfit. "Ma'ma... d'ye ever regret not *marryin'* Da when he asked ye?" Anamaria looked at her hands, "No, I don't. 'Cause he's still with me. If I'd married the man, I'd have been hurt when he slept wi' another woman. Marriage is like a hangman's noose - it means ye cannae have anyone else. I didnae want t' put yer father in that position - he takes oaths an' vows ver' seriously, savvy?" Isabelle nodded, then realised she'd done an entire lap of the room without looking down. "Aye, well, p'raps this ain't so hard after all?"  
  
Elizabeth, watching from the side, clapped. "You're getting used to it, Isabelle. It's not so hard, just try to keep your mind off what you're doing, and it's so much easier!" Isabelle stopped suddenly, almost overbalancing, "Then why didn't ye say so in the firs' place?" Elizabeth laughed, and walked over to her. "I think that'll do for today, Isabelle. Tomorrow we'll work on how you speak, savvy?" Even Anamaria couldn't help but laugh when Elizabeth used the pirate term in her noblewoman accent, as Louisa put it.  
  
It took Isabelle very little time to get out of her corset and petticoats, less than it took most women. Which was why she heard what she wasn't meant to hear. She quickly removed the corset, and pulled on the dress Anamaria was insisting she wear around, instead of her usual outfit of loose trousers and shirt, with a darker vest, with a cloth belt around her middle, underneath a thick leather belt - it was much like her father's outfit. At least she was allowed to keep her bandanna on during all times. It was a private joke between her father, and herself, that their outfits were so similar. Even her usual boots and jacket were almost identical to Jack's.  
  
Isabelle had inherited her father's hair, mostly straight, but with a habit of turning into dreadlocks, and when both were decked out in their full outfits - boots, jacket, hat, the whole thing - it was nearly impossible to tell them apart, excepting their height differences. Anamaria always joked she didn't know if it were a gift or a curse.  
  
But walking down the stairs in the dress of Louisa's, barefoot, what she heard stopped her in her tracks.   
  
"The Bermuda Triangle... when we first heard of it, Jack thought it nonsense, but then he heard the stories about the ships lost there. It's a scary place - some people will never get out, and the few who will... I think they've been there too long...." Anamaria paused, and Isabelle let out the breath she'd been holding, but Anamaria wasn't finished.   
  
"Ye do know that Isabelle was born there? She'd heard the stories about the outside, from Jack mainly, and the same with Jamie, only he was born outside, and was too little to remember. Even I missed the outside. The Triangle ain't the most welcoming place - there's always mist, and no matter how clear the sky *feels*, it's always overcast, an' when ye get to land, it feels as though there's water up t' your knees. I didn't want to risk losing anyone by getting out, but they were given an option - stay in the Triangle with the people who were there already, and live forever, or risk it all to try and get back to the real world.   
  
'A lot tried to get out, and a few died. Just like that - they dropped ead. But it's a place I never want to go back to, not 'til hell isn't an option to for me anymore."  
  
At this point, Isabelle stepped into the room. "Ye don't have the right t' talk about it like that, ma'ma! The Triangle treated you right - why can't ye give it the same treatment?" Anamaria jumped up from her seat, shocked, "Isabelle! What are you talking about?" Isabelle felt the tears streaming down her cheeks before she even realized she was crying. "It was my *home*, ma'ma! My *home*! You an' Da had the Pearl, an' Jamie was more'n happy t' go wi' it - but I felt as though I had a place there! I don't have one here - I'm just another face in th' crowd, someone cashin' in on Da's fame!" She found suddenly that her throat was blocked, and she couldn't talk anymore.   
  
Anamaria went to hold her daughter. Leaving the Triangle had been more of a shock for Isabelle than any of them had realized - Jamie, at least, had been bron outside, and didn't feel the same ties to it as did Isabelle. Anamaria made herself a promise - she wouldn't let the Triangle reclaim her daughter. 


	15. Chapter 15: Cook's revenge

Chapter 15: Cook's revenge  
  
Isabelle didn't say much after her outburst about the Triangle. There wasn't much she could say. She spent her evenings alone, much to the protests of Louisa, pouring over the papers she'd taken from the cavern. It was a diary of sorts, telling the story of a man called Armadaeus who fell to the triangle.   
  
It also told who the skeletons were, but not how they came to be skeletons. 'Three days we were on the raft, looking for the same spot I'd come through. Commodore Matherson tried to tell us we were going in circles, but I, being a sailing man, did not believe him. We believed him once we circled the same island three times. Compasses don't work here, they spin like a needle extended into a windy breeze on a spider's thread.  
  
Alexander Jefferson, the official from the King's court who I mentioned several days ago, was with us also, along with Lieutenant Jonathan Smith. We four on the raft must have looked a motley crew, bobbing around on a misty ocean with only our heads to be seen. There was no point in using the ship for this exercise - we merely needed to find the hole, not to sail through it.'  
  
A knock on the door brought Isabelle's head away from the papers, and had her hastily stuffing them under her pillow. It probably wasn't a good idea, seeing as they were old, stained with salt, and waft thin. Very unlike the thicker paper she was used to reading from. Anamaria knocked again, "Isabelle? Are you feeling better? Will we expect you for dinner?"   
  
Though the temptation to stay and read the papers was strong, so too was her hunger. She hadn't eaten since the outburst, three days before, and she was starving. "Aye, I'll be down, ma'ma."  
  
Isabelle heard a soft sigh from the other side of the door, and buried her head in the pillow. She hated making her mother worry, but sometimes it was inevitable. Some things just couldn't be shared, no matter how much it would help. Her mother hated the Triangle, and would never go back if she had the choice. Isabelle, on the other hand, had only ever known the Triangle.   
  
It called to her, fingers of air stretching out in her dreams, trying to pull her back. One morning she'd found herself leaning on the windowsill, as though she'd been about to climb out. It scared her, and from then on had made sure the window and door were locked, and the curtains drawn before she went to bed. And still, every morning, the curtains would be open, and the window unlocked. The window was in the same direction of the Triangle, she was sure of it. And she was sure that the longer she tried to fight the Triangle's advances, the harder it would pull, until one day she'd disappear.   
  
Removing the papers, she looked around for somewhere safe to store them. Her eyes fell on her bedside table, and she opened the top drawer and removed all the things inside. At the back there was a catch, and curious, she clicked it. The base of the drawer slipped out, revealing a hidden compartment. It was the right size for the paper, and she slipped them inside, carefully replacing all the other things that had been inside. They were safe, for now.  
  
She rearranged her dress, and took a deep breath. It was time to face the world, and the only way she could do that was to show the world the face of Isabelle Sparrow, daughter of Captain Jack Sparrow of the Black Pearl.   
  
*****  
  
The cabin boy was a fast learner, and he held the sword with a sturdy grip. Jack had barely taught him more than a few simple parries, and he'd gotten the hang of them quickly. "Yer a quick learner, Slip-up. But ye must work on yer footwork. Ye can never be anything but opposite t' me, foot fer foot. Every step I take, ye must identify and follow, unless you are the offensive, then 'tis the other way 'round, savvy? We'll try this, fer starters," he finished, and stepped lightly to the right - the cabin boy followed, but he took his eyes away from Jack's.   
  
"No! That's what ye *don't* do, Slip-up! Never look away from me, no matter what's happening behind ye, savvy?" At the boy's nod, he started again. He stepped to the right again, and the boy followed, keeping his eyes trained on Jack's. Jack nodded, slightly impressed with the kid. He had a zest for learning, and took everything in his stride - but he couldn't be let to think he was better than he actually was.   
  
He paused for a moment - Slip-up mirrored his every movement. Jack made as though he were stepping to the left, but stopped mid-step and stepped to the right instead, bringing his sword to rest in front of Slip-up's chest. "Ye must never assume what your opponent is going to do, savvy? If this were a real battle, lad, ye'd be dead." Slip-up nodded, and replaced the sword Jack had given him in his belt. "Aye, sir, an' I take it this lesson is finished?" Jack nodded, replacing his own sword. "Aye, it is. You're a quick learner, Slip-up, it's a pleasure teachin' ye how to use a sword, but if ye practice any more today, ye will begin t' get sick of it, an' a pirate who's sick o' his sword is no good in a fight, savvy?"  
  
Slip-up nodded, and pulled a folded piece of paper from his belt. "Aye, sir. An' here's your payment, Cap'n, for teachin' me this much." Jack took the folded piece of paper, and gestured to the door. Teaching the lad on the deck would have raised too many questions, and ridicules from the crew. For now, it was best to teach him in the cargo hold, where he wouldn't be pressured to go faster than he was able to.  
  
Walking past the door to his cabin, Jack noticed the door was slightly ajar. He stood against the wall, and pushed the door open with his left hand, his right was already on his sword.   
  
He peered through the gap in the door, noticing the offender still in the room, standing at the desk rummaging through loose papers. He jumped through, and held the sword towards the offender. "What ye be doin' in the Captain's quarters?" he asked, and the offender turned around. Jack almost dropped his sword, "Ducky? What ye doing away from ye kitchen?" The cook, the same cook who was in control of the cabin boy, was standing in front of Jack's desk, looking through papers.   
  
They circled one another, until Ducky had his back to the door. He turned and ran up the stairs, Jack in close pursuit. When they both reached the deck, Ducky suddenly found himself surrounded by pirates watching in confusion. Someone, probably Will Sr., slid a sword along the deck to where it stopped at Ducky's feet.   
  
Looking around with a furious expression on his face, he grabbed the sword and lunged at Jack, who stepped nimbly out of the way. "I can see ye ain't getting' better at fightin', Ducky. Best put that down now, an' tell me why ye were going through things on me desk." The silence of the crew was deafening. It was a cardinal sin to enter the Captain's private chambers without being invited, and one invitation wasn't open at any time.   
  
Ducky glared around at the small crowd, and lunged at Jack again, who stepped to the side, and slapped Ducky on the backside with the blunt edge of his sword. Ducky's face changed to bright red, and he finally spoke up, "The boy was mean' t' keep ye busy fer longer, Sparrow. That were th' plan, y'see. I knew ye been teachin' 'im fancy sword handlin', so I figured I'd have enough time t' find what I been missin' - *my* papers!"  
  
Jack looked at the man as though he were a strange variety of bug. "*Your* papers, Ducky? I don't think so - I got these papers legally, believe it or not, from a certain person who wanted to be rid o' them. Now, if they *were* your papers, then ye can't blame me fer stealin' 'em, 'cause I didn't, an' ye can't blame any member o' my crew, unless your sure of who did it. Now, are ye sure that someone in my crew stole them pepers?"   
  
Ducky looked around, and finally brought his gaze back to level with Jacks. "No, I ain't sure. All I know is *you* have my papers, an' I want 'em back!" 


	16. Chapter 16: One stormy night

Chapter 16: One stormy night  
  
Storms had a habit of popping up when they weren't expected or needed, and this time, the sea wasn't cooperating at all. Jack was the only man on deck who wasn't wearing a safety line - he was the only one who didn't need one. Even Will had taken the safer option of donning the rope, though he'd lasted through a lot of storms that had almost capsized his ship. There was something about this one that wasn't right. It screamed deceit with every howl of the wind, and it pushed the Pearl to its physical limits.   
  
Jack leaned his hands on the edge of the ship, a grin playing at his mouth. The cabin boy had been sent to the galley, and the cook was in the brig. Will Jr. and Jamie were sticking close to the mast, their safety lines as tight as they could get them without actually cutting themselves in half. Gibbs pushed through the storm and managed to reach Jack. "Ye gonna get yeself thrown o'erboard, Cap'n! At least attach a safety line t' yer belt!" Jack shook his head, "I don't need a safety line, Gibbs. This storm has a meaning - an' I intend t' speak with it's cause!"   
  
Gibbs didn't bother to try and make heads and tails of Jack's comment; he pushed back to the main mast, and started helping Will and Jamie tie down the sails. There was something about Jack Sparrow that made you wonder if he were indeed mad, or if he had second meaning to everything he said.  
  
At the edge, Jack spoke softly, under his breath. "C'mon, ye scurvy dog, ye ain't nothin' but a bilge-suckin' sailor if ye think this little storm can stop Captain Jack Sparrow!" At once, the storm seemed to multiply. The Pearl creaked with warning, and Jack only laughed, "If that's all ye can do without appearin', Grey, ye've really gone soft!"  
  
There was a final bolt of lightning, and the whole ship seemed suspended in air. Looking around, Jack realized he couldn't see any of the others on board, yet he knew they were still there, watching his every movement. There was no wind, there was no storm, there was no anything, except the deck of the ship, and the tall, very tall, man walking towards him. Jack watched for a minute, before giving his usual half-grin. "Ah, Captain Grey - 'bout time ye actually showed yeself to me, an' stopped tryin' t' kill me mate's son!"  
  
The man looked up, revealing a face set deeply amongst battle scars, and deep lines. If Jack hadn't known the man was dead, even he would have jumped to see the face on a regular person. Grey stepped forwards, and Jack mirrored his movement. "Ye ain't scared of me, boy?" he asked, and Jack looked around, as though looking for someone behind him. "Oh... oh, you mean *me*? I'm sorry, but no I am not scared of ye a'tall. Ye must be mistakin' me fer someone else... an' by the by - the name is Sparrow, *Captain* Jack Sparrow, an' ye'll do well t' remember it, savvy?"  
  
Grey looked almost affronted. "You dare to answer back to *me*?" he asked, and Jack nodded, "Ah, aye. I do dare to answer back to ye, because *you* have some information that I'd find very... interesting, I'd say." Grey seemed taken aback. "Really? And what information would that be?" Jack stepped forwards a few more steps, and found that Grey had disappeared, and reappeared behind him. "Oh, for the sake o' pirates everywhere - stop the infernal 'I'm a ghost and I can do this' movement - it gets annoying, savvy?"   
  
Without waiting for an answer from the pirate ghost, if that's what he really was, Jack continued, "Ye told one o' me crew members that this voyage will only end in 'disaster and death', I believe the words were. Whose death, exactly, and why did ye use *him* to relay yer message when I'd gladly 'ave done it?" Grey laughed, a strangely hollow laugh that sent chills down Jack's spine. "I chose someone who will tell everyone what they heard, an' let the superstitious people mutiny. It's always worked before - but I never chose someone so completely trustin' as what young mister Turner is. This voyage *will* end in disaster, and at least one death. I'm no' a bloody gypsy, an' I can't tell ye *who* will die, but one o' ye will, if ye chose to follow this path, savvy?"  
  
Jack took a seat on a barrel, very conscious of the crew on board who were watching him, though he couldn't see them. "Aye, and...?" he prompted, and Grey glanced up sharply. "This treasure ye think yer goin' after ain't all it seems t' be. Most think the curse is simple - for the person who uses the Hand, all food they try to eat turns to ash in their mouths, an' all they try an' drink turns to mud an' slime - but that ain't true. That curse legend was thrown 'round to throw people off the real one."  
  
Grey seemed to grow in size, becoming even taller, even wider. Jack noticed that his right hand only had four fingers. It seemed Grey had wanted someone to tell the story to, because he took no time in continuing. "The curse is deadly, an' it don't just effect the person who uses the Hand. It affects all the people in the cavern at that time. It brings t' life all the men, an' women, that ye killed in the past, even if it were by accident. An' the only way t' break the curse is fer someone t' kill 'emselves, willingly, an' pay the price fer the deaths of so many people."  
  
Jack rubbed his chin, "That's... interesting. But what's with the throwin' people o'erboard?" he asked, slapping his knees for emphasis. Grey chuckled, "Me wife always did say I had a short temper - I try an' warn people what they be gettin' into, but they never listen. There's a chance it'll sink in if they're taught a lesson, savvy?" Jack nodded in agreement, "Aye, I see yer point wi' that. But who turned ye t' gold in that cavern?" he asked, suddenly remembering the gold finger. Grey laughed, "I did. I turned meself t' gold - a fittin' end fer an ol' sea dog, ye agree? I searched all me life for the perfect treasure, an' I became it."   
  
Jack looked shocked, considering all the stories that he'd heard about Grey being a murderous, and selfish man who'd do anything to get what he wanted, "But... but why?" Grey sighed, "Love is a difficult thing t' explain, Sparrow. I had me wife, an' me son on my ship. There were two ships in that cavern - an' one still remains. I turned meself t' gold t' save my family from the skeletons, an' fire. An' I tol' me wife t' tell my son 'bout me - but she never did. She married a nobleman, an' me son grew up thinkin' the pompous fool were 'is real father." Grey was heading straight from a reasonable guy, to one of pent up anger. Still, he hadn't let the storm into the enclosed space he and Jack were in, and the ship was still in one piece, so it couldn't have all been bad.   
  
Just before Jack could try to get Grey to leave, the whole place suddenly felt as though it had been sucked through a whirlpool. The storm was back, and Jack was swept off his seat by a wave. Jamie reached out an arm, and caught his father before the wave had a chance to take him overboard, and Jack appeared from the wall of water, spitting up salt, and wearing the biggest grin. "We be set, Jamie-boy! We're goin' after the Hand o' Midas!" Jamie wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry. He was about to say something, when a sodden, creature of sorts was thrown into his face. It screeched, and tried to get a grip in his hair.  
  
Jack reached over and plucked the dripping monkey from his son's head, and started laughing. "What ye be doin' so far from the Isla, Jack?" he asked, and the monkey tried to bury itself under Jack's shirt. Just as Jack started to head for his cabin, the storm stopped as though someone had turned off the tap. "Well, that's better," he stated, and pulled the monkey away from his shirt. "What ye got for me, Jack?" he asked the monkey, which was trying to hide something behind it's back.   
  
"C'mon, monkey. Give it to Jack..." he coaxed, and finally, the monkey pulled out Will's old chain, with the Aztec gold still attached. It had been close to three weeks since they'd been at the Isla de Meurte, and the monkey must have been swimming the entire journey, to make it back to it's old ship. Jack grinned, and the monkey swung onto his shoulder. "That calls fer us to take a slight detour of plans... this poor monkey can't be left to live forever cursed - set the course for the Isle! We'll stop, make repairs, restock, and head for the Isla de Meurte!"  
  
*****  
  
Louisa and Isabelle hadn't had a falling out, so it was difficult to explain why they were treading lightly around sensitive topics. The main one being the Bermuda Triangle - neither Louisa nor Isabelle mentioned anything that could be changed in context to relate to the Triangle - but Louisa had to wonder what Isabelle was doing when she locked herself in her room.   
  
Back in the caverns, Louisa pulled the right catch, and her father's cavern swung open. "We have to try and make heads and tails of this journal - why does my father have a list of men, and how they died?" she asked, and Isabelle shrugged, "Maybe he knew them, and kept a record of how they died so he wouldn't forget them?" Louisa considered this, but shook her head, "No, I don't think so - because look! There are some where it just says 'unknown', and then lists how they died. If Da knew them, he'd put their name."  
  
Isabelle took the papers from her friend, and flicked through them, not noticing the small piece that fell from the bundle. Louisa noticed it though, and picked it up. "Isabelle! Listen to this!" Louisa began, "'I am keeping this list so I may have a record of all who have died at my hands, by accident or purpose. It is only in this way that I can be sure I will amend to the murders, no matter where I end up - heaven or hell. I have killed many, and many I didn't know - perhaps it is better I did not - but this is how they died, and this price will be repaid on the day of my death.'"  
  
Louisa read the last part, and looked at Isabelle. "Da used to keep a list, ma'ma told me. She said it was jus' after he impersonated a cleric of the church. Somethin' happened, that he ne'er told anyone 'bout, an' he started t' keep a list of the men he'd killed, and how they died, and when. But he stopped when he realized he couldn't remember the names of half of them, and he couldn't remember how the other half died," Isabelle finished, taking the paper from Louisa.   
  
Louisa picked up a page from the list, and read to herself, "General Herrington, single pistol shot, Armadaeus, keelhauling, John Murdock, duel of swords..." she stopped when she saw Isabelle's face. "What? Do you know one of them?" she asked, and Isabelle shook her head. "No... but... Armadaeus... I know that name - who was he? Did ye know 'im?" she asked, and Louisa nodded, "Aye, he was a Captain in the fleet - Captain of the Silver Arrow. But he tried t' o'erthrow Da, an' the crews turned against him an' keelhauled 'im t' teach him a lesson, but he died two weeks later. He was mad, an' I mean completely mad."  
  
Isabelle sat on the chair, and looked at her friend. "What d'ye mean by 'mad'?" she asked, and Louisa sighed, "When Da met him in Tortuga, an' offered him a place on the Dauntless, he brought a huge chest with him. No one could touch it, an' the one man who did ended up wi' a pistol shot through th' heart. He was a good pirate, though, an' he'd only been first mate fer a few weeks when Da reckoned he could control a ship an' crew. Then he tried t' o'erthrow Da, an' the crew keelhauled 'im. He had a cavern t' 'imself, but I don't know where it is." Isabelle dropped her gaze, "I do," she whispered. 


	17. Chapter 17: Stowaways

Chapter 17: Stowaways  
  
The homecoming for the Pearl was greeted by excitement all around. There were three definite things being done before the Pearl could set sail again - Jack was insistent for all three things. The first was that the Pearl was being repaired - the storm had caused damage to the mast, and the boom, along with snapping many of the ropes. The second was that the Pearl had to be restocked with supplies - fresh water, food, and emergency equipment. And the third, something agreed on by Will, was that they needed a full crew. Many ships would have returned to home, because of the storm, so there would be almost the full population of sailors to choose from. And this time, it wouldn't be the most trustworthy sailors they accepted - it was going to be the strongest, and the quickest on their feet.   
  
They pulled into the dock after dark, so very few people were around. The few who were, though sent the message around, so by the time everyone had gotten onto land, the village was there, waiting. At the house, Elizabeth heard the commotion in the village, and looked out the window. The light from the lanterns hanging around, and being carried by the villagers, showed the bow of the Pearl, and she felt the same flurry of excitement that she felt every time Will returned. Anamaria, who was reading an old book by candlelight, saw Elizabeth at the window, and smiled. It was easy to read her friend, but she wondered how long the stay would be for.   
  
Upstairs, Louisa and Isabelle were talking - about Will and Jamie - and Isabelle saw the arrival of the Pearl out of the corner of her eye. She stopped talking mid-sentence, and stated - "The Peal's back!" Louisa jumped, and almost fell off the edge of the bed in her haste to turn around and see for herself. The two girls looked at one another, and started laughing almost instantaneously. It took them a while to calm down, and when they finally did, they heard the front door open, and Elizabeth and Anamaria welcome their men.   
  
Neither said anything, they just stood and ran down the stairs as fast as they could in their dresses without falling over. "Da!" called Isabelle as soon as she saw her father, who was only just being released by Anamaria. "Hello to ye, Bella. Been good?" he asked, sweeping Isabelle into a hug. She laughed, and when he put her down, she nodded, "Aye, since when do I not?" Jack laughed, and Isabelle glanced coyly at her mother, "Only, ma'ma an' Elizabeth tried t' make me into a lady, when ye were gone!" Jack sent a stern glance towards Anamaria, who tried to keep from laughing, and pretended something on the ground was very interesting. "Anamaria... ye didn't? Please tell me ye didn't corrupt my daughter while I was gone...?"   
  
Meanwhile, Louisa didn't pause to say hello to her father - she jumped at him, and as per usual, he caught her. "Louisa, what have ye done that I shouldn't know about?" he asked her, laughing. Louisa shook her head against her father's chest. "Nothin' Da - I'm jus' glad you're back, savvy?" Elizabeth tried to stop herself from laughing. Behind them, still at the door, Will and Jamie stood in silence. After the exchanges between the girls and their fathers, they glanced at each other. "Now, why d'ye expect *they* get welcomed back by the ladies, an' we jus' get left wi' the luggage?" asked Jamie, keeping a straight face. Will shrugged, and they carried the last of the things inside. Most of their things had been left on the ship, as with what happened at the return of every journey.  
  
Later that night, once the four men had eaten, Isabelle retired to her room, leaving Louisa alone to talk with Jamie and Will about their travels. She couldn't help but laugh when she was told about their adventures in Tortuga, much to Will's distress. "...an' so, I had t' follow him. There was no way I was stayin' wi' Da and Bootstrap - they were all business, no fun a'tall - so I followed Nine-cat. I tell ye, Cannonfire, I ne'er seen someone, a'side Da, who can drink so much a'fore they get drunk! I couldnae keep up wi' him - an' when we woke up the next day, it were nearly time fer cast off, an' we was already late. But no, Nine-cat had t' stop t' see Cherie an' tell her that their business together were done, an' earn himself another slap, mind ye, a'fore we headed back to the Pearl!"  
  
Jamie paused, giving Will the chance to jump in, "I had t' tell Cherie it were over, Louisa - she's too clingy!" Jamie sent Will a glare before turning back to Louisa. "Anyway, as I were sayin', Cannonfire - we gets back t' the Pearl, still drunk, an' Da an' Bootstrap don' say anything. Here am I, knowin' Da's temper when it comes t' bein' late, expectin' explosions, an' he don't say anythin' louder than normal speakin' - but he sent us t' the galley. I thought, aye, we probably deserve t' be treated like a cabin boy, comin' back late an' all, but no, that weren't what Da had in mind - the smells o' the galley when you're gettin' o'er the drink could nearly kill ye!"  
  
Louisa laughed, and Will looked away. "Well, now, ye own sister turns against ye when there's more an' two o' ye - you don't deserve t' have a brother like me, Louisa. All th' times I defended ye as a kid...." Louisa cut him off with a wave of her hand, "Oh, aye? An' what 'bout all the times ye threw me o'erboard t' 'see if I could swim'? An' all the times..." It was Will's turn to cut his sibling off. They stared at one another, before both started laughing.  
  
The next morning, Will and Jack broke the news that they were leaving that night. Louisa and Isabelle asked if they could go along, but were refused almost before they had a chance to finish asking. "But why, Da?" asked Isabelle, and Jack found himself struggling to find an answer. 'It's too dangerous' was too simple, and Isabelle *had* lived in the Triangle all her life. Will was adamant that Louisa couldn't go along. "Ye ain't goin', an' that's that - savvy?" his voice was dangerously close to a yell, and Louisa didn't press the point. Will and Jamie didn't dare to say anything - the girls knew they were going, but if it had been mentioned, they'd have been dragged into a family argument that didn't really concern them.   
  
Once Jack and Will had gone to check the progress of the Pearl's repairs, and Jamie and Will had gone to round up the pirates in the village, Louisa and Isabelle made their plans. They'd sneak onboard, and only reveal themselves once they'' left the pass. Louisa knew her father would never turn back once a journey had started, and once they were clear of the river, they could come out of hiding. They didn't pack anything except what they were wearing, though they each added a small dagger to their bodice - they weren't allowed to leave the house without a dress, so normal clothes were out of the question.  
  
It wasn't as hard as they'd expected to sneak onto the Pearl. They waited until the men working on the repairs had gone back to get more materials, and simply walked up the gangplank. There was one cabin not being used - the Pearl had three cabins; the Captain's cabin, the one meant for the first mate, and one for the mate's next in command. When the Pearl had been in the Triangle, the Captain's cabin had been for Anamaria and Jack, and the other two were for Jamie and Isabelle. Now, Jack was in his original cabin, and Will had the one for the first-mate. The third cabin was empty, as neither Will Jr. nor Jamie would take up the offer to use it - they stayed together in the crew's quarters - and no one else was deemed worthy enough for the cabin.   
  
Once they were inside, they remembered that the ship wasn't leaving until that night, and now they were there, they couldn't leave again. Isabelle had the papers with her, Armadaeus' journal, so she was set, and Louisa seemed content to go to sleep on the bed. After a few hours, even Isabelle slipped off, leaning against the bed, the papers still in her hands. She was woken, rather roughly, by Louisa several hours later. "What? What is it?" she asked, sleepily, and Louisa held a finger to her lips. "Shh... we haven't quite left the river yet... we've got to stay quiet for a bit longer, 'til the water calms down again, savvy?" Isabelle nodded, and subtly pushed the papers out of sight, under the bed.   
  
They stayed in the cabin for another hour, a while after the waters calmed, and then decided to wait until someone opened the cabin door before they made their entrance. Thankfully, it was Jamie who opened the door. He pushed the door open, and neither Louisa or Isabelle dared to breathe. He hadn't even looked into the room, when he called out to Jack, "Cap'n! The room's right fer storage!" The girls didn't hear Jack's reply, but Jamie's answer was a simple, "Aye, sir!" and turned to go into the room, only to stop in shock. Jack's voice was heard down the hallway, and Jamie called out tentatively, "Uh, Da, we have a slight... problem." Jack's face appeared in the doorway, and he began to ask, "What problem... oh. I see. A problem...."  
  
Isabelle stood and looked at her feet, whereas Louisa was suddenly very interested in the porthole. Jack backed out of the doorway, and called up to the deck, "Bootstrap! I think yer needed down 'ere!" Will appeared, but before he had a chance to say anything, Louisa jumped in, "Da, I'm sorry, but I couldn't stay behind - ye said I could go on the next venture ye took, an' this is it!" Will shook his head, "Louisa, I'm disappointed. I thought ye were lady enough to do as ye were told - but I can see ye ain't. An' since you're fair determined t' come along, ye can be in charge o' keepin' the deck clean, an' the sails mended - savvy?" Louisa had been about to protest, but thought better of it when she saw her father's face. Jack nodded in agreement, "Aye, an' the same goes for you too, Bella. Ye disappointed me, an' ye'll not have my trust like before."  
  
The two captains headed back to the deck, and Jamie backed away uncertainly. Louisa had known she'd be in trouble, but she hadn't thought she'd feel so badly about it. On the deck, Jack and Will said nothing about the two extra passengers in the spare cabin, but stated that the cargo still on deck be taken to either the hold, or the galley, whichever suited best.  
  
The girls did appear a little while later, much to the astonishment of the crew, but no one questioned anything. They were heading to a place where only Jack knew how to get to, and the legends that surrounded it scared most of the crew more than seeing the actual place.   
  
Louisa hated mopping decks. There was no other way to put it. She hated it with a vengeance - the mop head ended up covered in grime, and no matter how steady the ocean, the bucket would always spill, creating more mess for her to clean. Isabelle felt the same way, but as she'd lived most of her life on a ship, she was used to it.   
  
The sails, though, were a different story. The one thing about the lives of noblewomen that Louisa found interesting, was the fact that they sewed. Sewing, and repairing, sails wasn't boring to her, in fact, she preferred it over mopping so much that she offered to mend every tiny catch in the linen to get out of mopping. Neither Jack, nor Will agreed to this though, and Louisa tried to find mending work to do every time there was a dull moment. Isabelle, on the other hand, hated sewing. She didn't have the knack for it, and was more often than not dripping blood onto the material. It was a good thing the sails of the Pearl were black, or there'd have been random splotches of blood all over the sails.   
  
It was on the morning of the Wednesday of the third week at sea, three weeks of mopping and mending, that the call came from the crow's nest, "Land ho!" Louisa stopped mopping, and looked up, at the same time Isabelle walked out of the cabin rubbing her fingers. Isabelle had finished her mending for the day, and Louisa just about to, as the sun was going down, and it was too hard to see if the deck was clean or not. Jamie swung down from his vantage point at the top of the mast, and Will followed soon after. Both had been in the crow's nest, as they were usually during the day, and it had been Will who'd spotted the small bit of land jutting out against the horizon.   
  
Jack looked up at the two from his place at the helm. "Aye, lads, 'tis the Isla de Meurte - we came at it from th' other direction las' time, an' it were early afternoon, not nearly dark. Mind, we didn't go to the island until *after* dark then, but ye still have an excuse fer not recognizin' the place!" Both boys looked embarrassed, and tried to find an excuse for not recognizing the place. Will Sr. walked up from underneath deck, and looked to what everyone was enthralled by. Above the Isla was a cloud, in the approximate shape of the Jolly Roger. Gibbs looked as though he were going to faint, "'Tis bad luck, havin' that cloud above the Isla, considerin' there be a dead pirate inside." Jack ignored Gibbs, and yelled to the crew, "Lower the boats! Bootstrap an' I are goin' in!" 


	18. Chapter 18: Clearing the air

Chapter 18: Clearing the air  
  
"Only Will an' I are goin' t' land - an' I mean that, ladies," Jack added, sending a stren glance towards where Isabelle and Louisa were standing at the bow of the ship. The boat was lowered, and it took barely any time for Jack to row them both over.   
  
The Isla de Meurte was just as uninviting as it had been the last time Will was there, and nothing had changed. Again they were there at night, and the moonlight cast eerie shadows, and bathed the whole place with a sickly blue light. The skeleton of Barbossa was still in the same place, and Will chided himself for believing that Barbossa was still alive. Jack the monkey clung to Jack the pirate, refusing to let go of Jack's shoulder. The place spooked the monkey, who'd lived there for twenty years.  
  
Jack knew what he was doing this time, and the monkey acting so clingy wasn't exactly helping matters. Climbing out of the boat, and pulling it ashore, Jack noticed Will seemed tense about something, but didn't press the point.   
  
The cavern was still piled high with the pirate's loot, but no one had ever been able to find it after Jack disappeared with the compass. It didn't point to North, everyone knew that, but it did point to the Isla de Meutre. Will *had* known where it was, but had been unable to face going inside after Jack's disappearance. There was more to the story of the disappearance than even Elizabeth knew - in fact, it was secret that had played at Will's conscience since the fateful day, twenty years before.  
  
~Flashback~  
  
Will and Jack stood on opposite sides of the chest. Jack wore a grin to rival a child who learns Christmas has come early. "So, what will it be, Will. Do ye agree t' the terms o' the bargain, or will ye fight me for it?" Will stood, arms crossed, fingers playing on the top of his sword. "I willna fight ye for anything, Jack. There is naught t' be gained in this cavern 'cept deceit an' downfall - you know that as well as I."  
  
Jack said nothing, just played with the Aztec coins in front of him - they still had the power to draw people towards them, to tempt their removal. Finally he looked up at Will, and grinned, "Aye, I know that well - it caused me t' lose the Pearl. But this cavern... this cavern should not be left unused - it has storage capabilities much more extensive than those o' the Isle." Will shook his head, "I'll not have it, Jack. The Isla de Meurte must be left alone - it has caused the deaths of far too many people!"  
  
Jack glanced behind him, through a small hole blasted by a cannon, where the still-burning remains of one of Will's ships could still be seen. "Aye, well, that were naught but an accident, Will, ye know that as well as I," he said, turning back to Will to see a reaction. Will clenched his fists under his arms, "That accident killed over a hundred o' my best men, Jack! If ye canna see what dangers the Isla de Meurte holds, then you're not only daft, but blind as well!"  
  
Jack dropped the last of the coins into the chest, Will watching to make sure he hadn't concealed any, and stepped back. "Aye? I'm daft *and* blind, am I now? Let me ask ye a question, Will - who has helped ye in the las' two years, besides me? Have I *ever* given ye reason t' doubt me?" Will smirked, "Aye, Jack, ye have - when ye blew apart one o' me ships withou' warnin', killin' 'most the entire crew. *That's* when ye gave me reason t' doubt ye!"  
  
Jack grinned suddenly, a quick smile that was gone before Will had even registered the fact it was there. "Will, I always thought ye were a person o' near-sight, but now ye jus' proved it t' me. Half o' your *crew*, Will, were men o' the Navy. An' they're the ones who died, not so many o' your pirates as what ye think!" Will was too angry with Jack to speak for several minutes. Once he'd forced his anger into a small hollow at the pit of his stomach, he spoke. "Jack, ye can take ye ship, ye men, an' leave the Caribbean. I've enough ships t' sink ye in th' blink o' an eye - an' was it you who said to Elizabeth once that ye wouldn't jus' be the most fearsome pirate in the Spanish Main, but the whole ocean? Ye havna left the Caribbean yet, Jack - the ocean is a whole lot bigger than this!"  
  
Jack said nothing, just turned on his heel and stalked out of the cavern, taking one of the two long boats, and heading back for his ship. Will hadn't had time to explain that he *knew* about most of crew being Naval officers, or that he'd had his own plan for them. He reached the Dauntless, and the remaining crew, before Jack who had to row to the Pearl - anchored quite a way past the Dauntless.   
  
They'd set sail at once for the Isle, to await Jack's return. But he hadn't come back - he'd sailed to Tortuga, and picked up Anamaria (that much he'd heard from sources on the island), but he hadn't returned to the Isle. He'd vanished off the face of the earth, and into the Bermuda Triangle.  
  
~End Flashback~  
  
Jack held the monkey over the chest, holding the dagger and the medallion. He handed the monkey the medallion, and grasped the little creature's hand. "By blood begun, by blood undone," he whispered, in remembrance of what Barbossa had said each time he'd spilled the blood into the chest.   
  
He made a nick on the monkey's hand, and it merely looked at him - in cursed form, one didn't feel anything. The medallion, once anointed with the blood, slipped into the chest as the monkey released it. The moonlight shining on him revealed his true existence, once more a monkey of flesh and bone. It clambered up Jack's arm, to come to rest on his shoulder once again. Jack looked at it and laughed, "Ye want t' come wi' us, aye?" The monkey grinned, in it's weird and unusual way, and tentatively reached out a hand and patted Jack's head.   
  
Neither Will or Jack spoke as they pushed the lid of the chest back into place, securing it so that the monkey had no way to get back into it. It was only when Will noticed how they were standing that he realised why Jack hadn't said anything. "Please tell me we ain't gonna be havin' another argument like what we did twenty-odd years ago?" joked Jack, but Will took it more seriously. "We're not. But... Jack - was the reason ye left 'ecause o' the argument between us?"   
  
Jack laughed, "No, it wasn't because of that - entirely.... What ye said to me then, Will - it brought a lot o' things out in the open, but I ne'er blamed ye. I wanted t' go, an' I thought ye understood that there was no pressure from ye. An' I did understand what ye said 'bout this place, an' ye were right. It is only a place of deceit, an' downfall."  
  
Will couldn't help himself - he started laughing. It started as a slight chuckle, but grew into a hearty laugh that almost had tears rolling down his face. "I ne'er picked ye for one t' remember things like that, Jack. Not once in the entire time I've known ye!" Jack saw the funny side of it, and started laughing as well.  
  
By the time the pair of them had calmed down, and were able to look at one another without laughing, it was almost light. The first pale rays of light drifted across the sky, illuminating the Black Pearl. Many of the crew were asleep on the deck, while a few had gone underneath. Jamie was in the crow's nest, and Will was asleep at the base of the mast, leaning against a pile of ropes. Louisa and Isabelle were at the bow of the ship, fast asleep. Gibbs had gone underneath, to the crew's quarters, and the cabin boy had taken to his usual place inside the empty storage closet, for whichever reason he preferred to sleep there.  
  
Jack and Will, along with the monkey, pulled alongside the ship, and clambered up the ladder still remaining from the night before. It wasn't an easy thing to do, since the both of them were exhausted from laughing all night, and had spent the last few hours talking about things that had changed since Jack had set out. But one thing was clear between them - the argument had nothing to do with Jack's disappearance, it just cleared the air and made Jack realise what he still had to do.  
  
Waking up the crew members as they passed them, it didn't take long for everyone to be assembled on deck. Jack, as per usual, gave the orders, "Set the sails! We're headin' North-North-West! An' Bootstrap an' I ain't t' be disturbed 'less ye see a ship, or land, savvy?" The crew yelled in unison, "Aye!" and set to work. Jack went underneath to his cabin, but Will paused to speak to the two girls. "Jus' cause we ain't on deck don't mean ye can get away wi' doin' nothin', savvy? I want this deck spotless when I get back up 'ere, or else ye'll both be goin' for a swim."   
  
Louisa and Isabelle nodded, and Will went down to his own cabin. The girls exchanged glances, before dissolving into giggles. "I wish Da weren't always in such a bad mood when he ain't had enough sleep!" Louisa managed, and Isabelle almost fell over laughing. On the stairs, Will heard them, and almost turned to go back up, but Jack stepped from his cabin and stopped him with a glance. "Ye canna keep your girl from growin' up, Will, no matter how much ye try. She'll only rebel agains' ye, an' end up in Tortuga - let her be fer a while, savvy?"  
  
Will said nothing, but his expression softened, just a tad. Turning, he headed for his own cabin, leaving Jack in the shadows with a smile to rival the Cheshire Cat. "That's one thing *no* man should do," he said, practically to himself since Will was almost out of earshot. Shaking his head, he retired into his own cabin until someone came to wake him up. 


	19. Chapter 19: Keeping Secrets

Chapter 19:  
  
"We're devils, and black sheep, and really bad eggs, drink up me 'earties, yo ho!" Jack Sparrow loved the pirate's song, the full version taught to him by Elizabeth when they'd been marooned on an island by Barbossa. He had started to teach the crew, but what with most of them being very dimwitted, very few had learnt more than the 'drink up me 'earties' bit. Now, it was a song he, Anamaria, Jamie, and Isabelle sang on occasion, but mostly Jack by himself. When he was drunk.   
  
The current alcohol store had been found by the cabin boy, when he moved too suddenly in his closet, opening a hidden compartment almost the size of a small cabin. Jack had filled it in Tortuga, but had then forgotten about it, only remembering when the cabin boy found it. It had only a few bottles of rum, about a quarter of the storage room, and the rest of the spaces were filled with various bottles of different alcohol.   
  
The rum was Jack's personal store. The other alcohol he didn't care about - except if someone tipped it out, or burnt it on purpose. But good alcohol was hard to find, especially in Tortuga, and the crew knew better than to waste it. The party that occurred as a result of the discovery of the alcohol lasted for days. It was a good thing that no one saw any other ships, or the entire crew of the Pearl would have been too drunk to do anything.   
  
Jack didn't drink quite as much as what the rest of the crew did, but rum is quite a bit stronger than regular ale. Louisa and Isabelle were only rationed one bottle each, but claimed that Jack hadn't said *which* bottle they were to have, and managed to gain a bottle of rum each. Will and Jamie had their own store, but added their share of the crew's alcohol.   
  
Jack stood at the bow of the ship, leaning over the edge, staring blankly at the water. The pirate song drifted through his mind, and half the crew had heard the same lines over and over again. The other half hadn't heard anything, seeing as though they were completely drunk and many had passed out. Will Sr. knew when Jack was in his moods by now, and steered clear of the bow. Jamie and Isabelle, however, knew what was really wrong.   
  
Jamie approached his father, leaning on the bow next to him. Jack continued his song, though by now his voice had dropped so he could barely be heard above the sound of the water. "Ye miss her that much, do ye?" Jamie asked, causing Jack to stop and look at him. He thought about what his son had said for a minute, then asked, "Miss who? Who do I miss? Ye can't expect me t' answer a question like that when ye don't specify who," he finished, gesturing with his hand. He swayed more than he usually did when he stood up, and Jamie sighed, "Ye know very well who I mean, Da. Ma'ma - ye miss her don' ye?"   
  
Jack turned back to the bow, and looked back over the water. "Anamaria... she misses the ocean when she's on land, aye?" Jamie nodded, "Aye, Da, she does, but ye did say that she couldn't go with ye this time, an' she agreed. She was tryin' t' turn Bella into a lady, remember?" Jack nodded, "Aye, I remember - she shouldn't be tryin' t' do that t' Bella. Bella hates dresses, Ana knows that. I hate dresses, always have, since I dressed as a lady for a special occasion!"  
  
Jamie, who'd heard the story on a previous occasion when his father was drunk, sighed, and walked away, leaving Jack to go back to singing the pirate song under his breath. He passed Isabelle on the stairs, and pointed over his shoulder without turning, "Your turn, Bella. He's rambling about the dress incident again." Isabelle tried to stifle a laugh, and Jamie just raised an eyebrow. Isabelle hastily explained, "He's rambled on about the dress thing before, but I ne'er believed it afore ma'ma told me it were true!" Jamie looked bewildered, but continued on his way without saying anything.  
  
Isabelle walked out to the bow, to find her father in the same place that Jamie had left him, still drunk, still singing the same lines of the song in an undertone. He looked up when Isabelle approached him, and offered her the half-filled bottle of rum. "Drink, Bella?" he asked, and Isabelle took the bottle. "Aye, thanks Da, but ye should know better than t' drink at the bow o' the ship - ye do remember what happened when Grady did that, aye?" Jack laughed, but didn't move. "Aye, I remember what happened t' Grady - yer mother pushed him o'er the edge!"  
  
Isabelle laughed, "Aye, I do suppose that's what happened, so p'raps it's a good thing that ma'ma ain't here, or the same would happen t ye, aye?" Jack nodded, and looked around for his bottle. He saw Isabelle holding it, and stood up as straight as he could, whilst drunk. "What ye think yer doing, Bella, with my rum? Ye know ye ain't meant t' be drinkin' on board th' Pearl!" Isabelle laughed and handed over the bottle, not bothering to start an argument by pointing out that he'd given her the bottle in the first place.  
  
Inside the cabin, Jamie and Louisa were debating the possible ways that Isabelle could get her father away from the bow, and back to the helm. "She could drag 'im back - she's pretty strong," started Jamie, only to be met with an affirmitive no, from Louisa. "P'raps she'll get him dancin' an' move 'im like that?" she laughed, and Jamie scowled. "That would be the last option, Cannonfire. She'd be more likely t' push 'im o'erboard like what ma'ma does when she sees men drunk at the bow o' the ship. She can't resist!"  
  
Louisa looked at Jamie, trying to conceal her laughter, but after a minute, she couldn't help herself, and started laughing so hard that there were tears of laugher rolling down her face.   
  
It was at that moment, that Jack walked past in his usual unsteady way, though it was obvious he was *very* drunk, because his land-walk disappeared onboard a ship. Isabelle didn't follow her father, just went straight back to the cabin, passing Jamie and Louisa, who exchanged glances and started laughing. When they calmed down, Louisa looked at Jamie, "How did she do that?" she asked, and Jamie shrugged. "I don' know. She's always been able to get Da away from th' bow o' the ship afore ma'ma has had a chance t' tip him o'er - I dinna know how though - an' Isabelle won' tell ye how, either!"  
  
The two stayed above deck for a while, before the lack of sleep caused them to go back under. Jamie walked Louisa to the cabin door, and pushed it open for her. Inside, Isabelle and Will were looking very guilty, and Jamie made as though to say something before Louisa stepped back on his foot, silencing him. Knowing all too well that Will was going to get an ear-bashing from his friend when they reached the crew's quarters, Louisa said goodnight, and Will hastily followed suit, following Jamie out of the cabin.   
  
Louisa looked at Isabelle, who'd turned back to the mirror. Before she could say anything, though, Isabelle shook her head. "No, I ain't goin' t' tell ye." Louisa smiled, "Tell me what?" Isabelle replaced the last of her earrings, and turned to face her friend. "I ain't goin' t' tell ye how I got Da away from the bow-" she was cut off by Lousia, "I don't want to know how ye got your father from the bow!" Isabelle ignored Louisa and continued, unfazed, "- an' I ain't goin' t' tell ye what Will an' I were jus' talkin' 'bout, savvy?" Lousia sighed theatrically, "Savvy. An' I'm tired, so g'night, savvy?" Isabelle laughed, "Savvy." 


	20. Chapter 20: Cabin boy's warning

Chapter 20:  
  
The morning-after cure that Jack liked to dish out to his crewmembers wasn't greeted with a smile when they suggested that *he* go and trial it. "Blasted pirates!" he yelled through the door of his cabin, and even Jamie had to laugh. "Aye, that we are, Cap'n. An' p'raps ye'd be best t' find another word if ye insist on tryin' t' insult us, Da!" Jamie called through the door. A handful of mumbled curses and phrases wafted through the door, which opened quiet suddenly. "If ye think ye can get away wi' wakin' up the Captain early i' the mornin', after he been up all night, then ye've all got another thing comin'!" Jack said to the handful of assembled crew in the doorway to the cabin.   
  
Several scattered as Jack marched through the crowd, only to find the entire crew standing, watching the excitement. As the Pearl currently had a crew of over one hundred men, there were quite a few on the deck, and even more underneath. "What are ye looking at?" he yelled, "Get back t' work!" The crew automatically went back to work, leaving Jack to march angrily towards the helm. Will was standing behind the wheel, and stepped back as soon as he saw Jack's face. "Rough mornin'?" he asked with a smile, and Jack scowled. "'Rough' ain't the word, Will. 'Rough' would look relatively 'smooth' compared t' my morning."  
  
Will turned around to hide his laughter, and came face to face with Isabelle. "Would ye like me t' speak to him?" she asked, and Will shook his head. "Nah, he'll be right once he wakes up s'more. Though, if ye have got a bit o' rum t' gi'e him, he'll take a lot less time t' calm down." Isabelle nodded, and removed the half-empty bottle from behind her back. "I know what calms Da down, so I came prepared." Will laughed, earning a glare from Jack, and let Isabelle through.   
  
The cabin boy, who had emerged from his closet looking a little more bruised than usual, tried to catch Louisa's attention by jumping up and down near the stairs, waving his arms. When she looked up, and walked over, he whispered, "Tell the Cap'n that th' cook is plannin' t' poison 'im, savvy?" Louisa nodded, and the boy disappeared back to the galley when the sounds of the cook getting angry drifted up the stairs.   
  
Louisa waited until Isabelle had handed over the bottle to her father, and managed to get Jack in a fairly decent mood, before she dared to mention to her own father what the boy had told her. "I don't know which cap'n he meant, though, considerin' that there's *two* captains aboard this ship," she finished, and Will nodded, "Aye, don' worry 'bout it. I'll tell Jack, an' he can make up 'is own mind 'bout it, savvy?" Louisa nodded, and headed back over to where Jamie, Will, and Isabelle were talking.   
  
Jamie was the only one who picked up on her worried state, "What's wrong, Cannonfire? Ye look worried 'bout somethin', am I right?" he asked, and Louisa repeated what the cabin boy told her. He nodded, "Aye, things like that usually happen on ships. 'Specially the Pearl - the cook thinks that if he can get rid o' the cap'n without an actual mutiny, then he can convince th' crew t' name him as cap'n - savvy?" Louisa nodded, and Isabelle jumped in, "Aye, t'has happened afore now, too, but that were with th' last cook, an' he got left in Tortuga. Th' guy we've got now is from Tortuga, an' he seemed all right, considering most o' Tortuga."  
  
Louisa was curious, "What happens if he *does* try t' poison one o' the cap'n's then?" she asked; Jamie and Isabelle exchanged glances. "Goin' o'er what happened las' time, he'll get sent t' the brig, then left at the next island where there's people livin' - or else he'll be marooned, whichever's easiest," Jamie supplied, and Isabelle laughed, "It serves 'em all right, if ye ask me. Any man who tries t' kill his own cap'n in cold blood deserves more 'an just bein' left on an island wi' a pistol an' shot."  
  
*****  
  
Gibbs was rarely seen on the ship. He added his own two cents in occasionally, to conversations that he could hear from his vantage point in the crew's quarters, but he refused to go above deck when Isabelle and Louisa were, because 'seeing women on a ship is almost as bad as women bein' on the ship in the firs' place', or something to that effect. He'd taken to teaching the cabin boy everything from how to drink (a very funny picture), to how to box (many of the crew ended up as target practice), how to shoot (everyone had learned by this stage to keep out of the way), and how to throw knives. Needless to say, very few were impressed with the boy's skills, and soon learned to keep anything they considered valuable hidden.   
  
Gibbs considered the boy a fast learner, and one with spirit. He said, quite often, that he was reminded of Will during the lessons, but any time that this was brought up around the captain or his family, the topic was changed so abruptly, Gibbs had to stop talking to remember what he was saying. No one dared to mention the fact that they thought the boy was Will's son, though everyone thought it. Besides, it wouldn't have been impossible.   
  
Jack continued his lessons with the boy, teaching him skills in sword fighting, until he had learned enough for Jack to leave him to his own. "That was where my lessons stopped, an' ye shall hav' t' learn t' fight yer own battles from now on, savvy?" The boy nodded, and Jack handed him a sword. "Ye can keep this, 'til it breaks or wears out. The ye can find yer own sword - but ye need one t' start with." It was a simple sword, one that Will had shaped from broken pieces of knives, and guns, and polished up. Still, it was almost perfectly balanced, and strong enough to remove a man's head when used correctly. Unbeknownst to the cabin boy, though, the sword was a way of thanking him for the warning about the cook.  
  
Three days later, however, there was no sign that the cook was planning anything, and some of the crew were beginning to doubt the boy's ears. "He ain't nothin' but a deaf pirate wanna-be - ye cannae trust 'im, cap'n," was the most popular quip from the crew. Jack didn't say anything, just bided his time.   
  
In fact, he bided his time for so long, the entire crew thought he was going to starve himself to death. Even Jamie and Isabelle were worried, "Da, ye *must* eat! If ye keep this up, ye ain't goin' t' be well enough t' stand, let alone leave someone on an island!" argued Isabelle after yet another meal was sent back to the kitchen. Jack ignored her remarks, and went back to the helm. He hadn't eaten anything except stale bread for over a week, the same with Will, and hadn't drunken anything except what came from his own store.   
  
The following day, there was a commotion on the deck when the cook, Ducky, was marched up from the galley by Jack and Will. "I didnae do a thing!" he yelled, and Jack smiled. "Aye? Ye did nothing? Well, then ye won't be opposed t' eating some o' this broth, aye?" The cook made a face, "I am not hungry at the moment, I thank ye cap'n. Now, if ye'll excuse me...." He didn't have a chance to finish, as Jamie and Will (Jr.) took him by either arm and steered him towards a seat near the mast. Jack walked over, bowl in hand, and placed it on top of the barrel set up conveniently.   
  
"Ye'll eat when I tell ye to - unless ye'll admit that it's poisoned," he said, handing the cook a spoon. Ducky looked at it for a moment, before hesitantly picking it up. "An' if it's poisoned, I'll die, an' if it ain't, an' I say it is, then I'll die, an' if it ain't, ye'll have made a fool of yeself, aye?" he asked, and Jack nodded, "Aye, that'd be 'bout right. So - is it poisoned or no? *You* should know, Ducky, ye were the one who cooked the stuff."  
  
Ducky paused, before taking a spoonful from the bowl. He lifted it to his mouth, and everyone could see the spoon shaking ever so slightly. Finally, he dropped the spoon, and it clattered onto the barrel. "Aye, so 'tis poisoned. I don't want t' die a death o' poison - so what are ye goin' t' do wi' me?"  
  
Jack laughed, "Ducky, ye'll be findin' a home in the brig, for the time bein', an' then we'll be findin' ye an island, all for yeself. Savvy?" Ducky dropped his gaze, and a few people could hear him muttering about 'preferring the poison'. Jack just laughed, and headed for the galley, the cabin boy following close behind. 


	21. Chapter 21: Coco's Island to England and...

Chapter 21: Coco's Island to England and Spain  
  
An island in the Caribbean wasn't exactly hard to find, but an uninhabited one is; even the smallest islands were likely to have one or two families settled. Ducky was in the brig, and had been for almost three weeks before an island was found. It was, by way of marooning islands go, a luxury. There were fruit trees, and fresh water, along with caves for shelter, but it was off the beaten track by several days, and the possibility of someone rescuing the murderous cook were slim to none.   
  
Jack stood at the bow of the ship; something was nagging him about the island, but he couldn't for the life of him think what it could be. Gibbs was looking over a map, hardly surprised to find it mapped, as were most of the islands. He carried the map to Jack, and pointed out the tiny dot against the background of the sea. "'Tis called 'Cocos Island', Cap'n. 'Tis where many men have lost more'n their lives, an' no one can figure out why."  
  
Jack nodded, satisfied. "*That's* what's been buggin' me, Gibbs. Get the plank set fer walkin', savvy?" he yelled to the crew, and the jumped to action. It wasn't long before Ducky was standing on the end of the plant, hands bound, and a pistol ready to throw to him in the water. It was shallow enough for Ducky to reach the bottom and retrieve the pistol, but deep enough for the Pearl to sail unhindered.   
  
"Ye won't get away wi' this, Jack," Ducky called from the end of the plank, and Jack sighed. "It's *Captain* Jack to you!" he called. "Why do they all say that?" he asked Isabelle, who was standing next to him. She shrugged, and Jack shook the end of the plank, dumping Ducky into the water. Isabelle threw the pistol overboard, and glanced at her father. "There is a chance he'll get off, Da - ye do realise that, aye?"  
  
Jack laughed, "Aye, p'raps he might. But I'll be a damned man afore I let a simple cook get the better of me." Isabelle nodded, and walked with her father to the helm. Jamie and Louisa watched from the bow. "Why is it that Isabelle and Jack are so close?" she asked, and Jamie shrugged. "I've ne'er been able to figure that bit out, myself. Ma'ma thinks it's because Da was the first person she ever saw, but she has said it was because Da taught her how to live on the sea, how to survive without land."  
  
Louisa nodded, "They're closer than Da an' I ever were. It's as though they're linked...." Jamie nodded, "Aye. Isabelle told me once, when she was younger, that she could feel whenever Da was hurt. I heard Da tell ma'ma the same thing, not so long ago. When Isabelle cut her foot open on a sword that had been left lyin' 'round, Da told ma'ma that he'd felt it. It were true - Da was limping for just as long as Isabelle were."  
  
Louisa dropped her gaze, and looked over the ocean. "It's almost like that with Will an' I, but not to the same extent. If he gets hurt, then I know, but I cannae feel it - you know what I mean?" she asked, and she felt Jamie nod beside her. "Aye - I know when ma'ma's hurt - ye can hear her from a mile away!" Louisa laughed, and punched her friend in the arm. "That's not what I mean, ye fool!" Jamie nodded, "Aye, I know, but I thought I'd liven the mood, savvy?" Louisa nodded, "Savvy. Now, what do ye say we try an' take o'er the watch in the crow's nest, aye?"  
  
She didn't give Jamie a chance to answer, as she jumped from the edge and ran towards the mast. She didn't bother to check with either of the captains, just climbed up, and told the man at the top that she was taking over. He didn't argue - he preferred the deck anyway. Jamie was only a half a second behind, and the pirate glanced at them sharply, and climbed down with a smug grin on his face.   
  
Jamie leaned on the edge, and Louisa stood opposite. "Well, we're up 'ere now, so what did ye have planned?" Jamie asked, rasing his eyebrows in an imitation of his father. Louisa laughed, and crossed over to him. "Nothin' really... just to see if ye'd follow me or no!" Jamie leaned closer to her, until they were less than an inch apart. "Really? And if I hadn't followed ye...?" he began, and trailed off. Louisa laughed softly, "Then I'd have had t' drag ye up by your feet, savvy?"   
  
Jamie laughed, and started to lean ever so slowly towards her. Louisa felt she was melting in his eyes - they were so dark, so strong, so... him. Indeed, everything about him yelled strength, but at the same time, she knew he was a gentle person when he needed to be. She barely felt his hand cup the side of her face, was hardly aware of his other hand at her waist. He was offering a challenge, that much she knew, and she'd already begun to respond when a shout from below sent them apart faster than a loose sail in strong winds.   
  
Will (Sr.) was directly under the mast, "What flag is the ship flyin'?" he yelled up, seemingly oblivious to what he'd interrupted. Louisa was closest to the spyglass, and called out, "The English, Cap'n." Will nodded, and called back to Jack, where he was steering at the helm. He nodded, and called something back, but it was lost in the sudden gust of wind that shook the ship. Jack the monkey jumped out of the shadows near the stern of the ship, and perched on top of the wheel.   
  
The conversation in the crow's nest no longer existed - both were too busy watching the ship to worry about their encounter. If the ship were to be attacked, or they to attack the other ship, then they were needed as lookouts, not layabouts.   
  
On the deck, Isabelle was still standing near her father, though their topic of conversation had turned to the ship in the distance. "If it is an English ship, Da, then won't they notice the Jolly Roger an' pursue us with the intention of arrest or attack?" she asked, and Jack shook his head. "Not always, Bella. Sometimes the English try t' get the hell away from pirates, 'specially if they ain't armed, savvy?" Isabelle nodded, and reached out to scratch the monkey's head.   
  
"I savvy, Da, but don't ye think it's a little unlikely that a passenger ship is this far out of it's way? More'n likely it's a Navy ship, or a privateer, with the order to attack all pirate vessels it comes across - am I right?" Jack laughed, "Aye, ye have more brains than most at your age, Bella. But we'll have a while to wait afore we see which of us is right, aye?" Isabelle nodded, and dropped her hand from the monkey's head, "Aye, Da. But I bet ye a fiver that we'll either have to run, or fight." Jack laughed and shook his daughter's hand, "Aye, 'tis a fair bet, Bella. But I do warn ye, there is a ver' big chance ye'll be down a fiver by dinner." Isabelle laughed, "Then we'll see at dinner, Da."  
  
Isabelle wasn't usually a betting person, but with her father she barely had to give any money away anyway - she had the famous Jack Sparrow wrapped around her little finger so tightly that it was a wonder he hadn't suffocated.   
  
It wasn't long before the outcome of the bet was determined. The ship was headed towards them, and though it kept the English flag flying, it also added the Spanish flag to the second mast. Jack and Will exchanged glances, and Jack turned to see Isabelle with her arms crossed, a smile on her face. Jack glanced upwards and muttered, "T'ain't right, lettin' her have all the luck, ye know," before swinging the Pearl around to look straight upon the other ship.   
  
Jamie and Louisa leaned on the edge of the crow's nest, staring at the ship. "Why does it have both English an' Spanish?" Louisa couldn't help but ask. Jamie shrugged, "Couldnae tell ye, Cannonfire, but I'm willin' t' bet that it be a privateer arrangement between England an' Spain - with them sharin' the spoils." Louisa didn't look away from the ship, "What are they doin?" she asked hurridly, after a momentary pause. The other ship was turning, changing course though still heading towards them.   
  
Jamie took one last glance, then moved quickly to the other side of the crow's nest, "Cap'n! They be comin' round on the starboard side!" he called down to Will (Sr.), who relayed the message to Jack. Jack only grinned, and kept the same course. "Fool," mumbled Jamie under his breath, though Louisa heard it clearly. She raised her eyebrows, and he laughed. "He *is* my father, so I have the right t' criticize anything he does, aye?" Louisa laughed, turning back to look at the other ship. "Aye, well, I doubt that an encounter with a privateer ship will help us in the trip, no matter how well it's all pulled off," she said, and Jamie laughed, "Aye, ye be right there, Cannonfire. Ye be right there...."  
  
Page 3 


	22. Chapter 22: Afore too long

Chapter 22: Afore too long  
  
It seemed like hours before the other ship reached them, even though both ships were sailing full speed, and they were both extremely fast vessels. Louisa climbed down from the crow's nest, at Jamie's request, and headed for where Isabelle and Will (Jr.) were standing, talking about the strangeness of the flags.   
  
"I can understand why a privateer would fly the flag of it's home country, but why would it join forces wi' another?" asked Isabelle, and Will shrugged, "A few reasons, but none of which make much sense, considerin' the ship...." Louisa stopped at the bow of the ship, and leaned over the edge. There was a stillness in the water, in the air, and she didn't like it. There always was, before an attack, and she knew that this attack wouldn't be a simple hit-and-run maneuver. Privateers were legal pirates, though they gave the spoils to their country (some of it, at least), and they were just as vicious as the pirates of the centuries before.   
  
Will turned to see his sister looking up at the sky, eyes closed, and he smiled. It was easy for an outsider to see how close the twins were, the outsider being Isabelle at that moment. It was going to hurt her when she made her way back into the Triangle, to leave behind the people she'd grown so close to, the person she'd grown to love.... Looking away as the twins spoke, she felt for the papers in her belt, assured by their presence.   
  
Excusing herself from Will and Louisa, she headed for the cabin with the intention to read some more before the privateers attacked. She hadn't had a chance since just before they'd sneaked onto the Pearl, and there was a lot more to go.   
  
'It wasn't what you'd call a nice way to die, but for their sakes, I'm glad it was fast. If the same had happened to me, then I would never have wanted it any other way.  
  
We found the hole, and got set to sail through. It didn't take long, only a few weeks to our perspectives, but I do acknowledge that it could have been longer, or shorter, than what was actual time.   
  
We sailed through, well enough, but when I turned to congratulate my fellow three escapees, I found myself facing three skeletons, with naught but the clothes they were wearing to give any intention that they were once real people, from different times to myself, yet still with the same intentions and beliefs.   
  
I found upon this ship a large chest, large enough to fit three living men inside. It is inside this chest that I have placed the three bodies of my friends, with the intent of keeping them with me, as my guidance, until it is fit that we, all four, should be buried in the traditional way at sea. How I am to arrange this, I do not yet know, but nothing is too good for the people who gave their lives to fund my voyage of escape.'  
  
The next entry was a while ahead of this, yet it was just as important.   
  
'I had searched high and low for the same hole, which I entered into the Bermuda Triangle. It occurred to me that once the entrance has remained open for a certain period of time, it will then close and not open again. I have no way of proving this theory, but I have found another way in.   
  
There is a cave, inside an island that is barely close to the Triangle, yet it hums with the same intensity as did the opening at sea. It was mere chance that we discovered this island, and the treasure it did hold. The most elusive thing any sailing man, pirate or no, could ever hope to possess - the Hand of Midas. I have read things about this Hand that could make even the wealthiest man's mouth water, but upon seeing the evidence inside the caves, I did not dare to approach it.   
  
There are entire ravines full to bursting of skeletons, men who have tried for the Hand, and failed. It was by following the path the right of the natural harbor, inside the island itself, sticking to the middle ridge the entire way through, until a branch is reached of three cavernous openings. It is here that the left cave must be followed, as the center, and right, caves only lead to a dead end.   
  
At the end of this cave is another ravine, which I take to be the same one from the main cavern. There is a natural bridge over this ravine, which leads to another cave opening. It is a tight fit for a grown adult, such as myself, but this cave leads back into the Triangle. I am not sure how, or by what magic, but once the end of the cave is reached, the Triangle is also. I have included a map, for an easier way of finding the cave, and I am fairly sure that this is a permanent opening. I have returned to it three times thus far, and each time it remains open.'  
  
Isabelle dropped the papers at the same time the Pearl rocked to the side with the force of the cannon that hit it. Hastily picking them up, and stuffing them back into her belt, she headed back out onto the deck to see Louisa being held as though she were a prisoner - by Jack!  
  
"Louisa? What's...?" she didn't have time to finish speaking, before Jamie grabbed her from behind, covering her mouth with his hand. "Don't say anything," he hissed in her ear, and she nodded. Jack didn't look around, just grinned at the privateer captain across the ships. "Shoot another cannon, sir, at *my* ship, an' it will be *your* fault that these two lovely ladies meet their deaths - savvy?" The other captain was young, but not young enough to not know the stories about Jack Sparrow.   
  
"Release the ladies into my custody, I thank ye, mister Sparrow, sir, an' all will be well," he was a little too... soft to be a privateer captain, yet he still sailed under the colours of one. Jack shook his head, "Aye? I think not, sir, considerin' that ye still have the long guns pointed toward my ship. Take them away, back inside, an' I'll release one o' the ladies, afore I think about the other, savvy?"  
  
The other captain looked perplexed. On one hand, he could remove the long guns, and negotiate the safe return of two very British women, or he could forget he'd ever saw the women and sink the famous Black Pearl. It took some considering - he was, after all, a gentleman by birth. Jack pulled the small knife from the back of Louisa's belt, and spun it around his fingers until it was resting at the side of her throat. "Ye have little time, sir, to follow my orders - I will not hesitate to kill one o' these women - one is enough for a ransom."   
  
He whispered to Louisa, "Trust me, I won't cut ye too deep, but it needs to be seen, savvy?" Louisa nodded slightly, and felt the light sting of the knife blade as it broke the fine skin under her jaw. It didn't hurt so much as scare her, especially when she felt the trickle of blood run down the column of her neck. The other captain paled visibly, "Remove the guns!" he yelled, and his crew hesitated before obeying his orders.   
  
Jack waited until the guns were removed, and the hatches locked, before dropping the knife and pushing Louisa toward her father. "I am a man of my word, sir, an' so I shall release one of my prisoners," he turned to Will, who was holding Louisa in much the same way that Jack had been, "Throw her over," he said simply, causing outrage on the other captain's part. "You lied! You said you'd release her!" Jack pulled up short, obviously insulted. "You attack *my* ship, force me to release one of *my* hostages, and then insult me! You will not call me a liar, sir. I am holding my end of the bargain - it was *you* who failed to specify how the lady was to be released, savvy?"  
  
The other captain seemed quite taken aback - it wasn't everyday that a woman was thrown overboard because of what someone did or didn't say. He looked wildly around his crew, who all shrugged, or looked away, and back at Jack. Jack grinned, and nodded to Will. Louisa played the part of a victim better then most victims would have. She struggled against her father the entire way, though not enough so that he'd be forced to let her go, until they reached the edge. There was a plank already there, which just had to be pushed up and out over the edge. Will (Jr.) grabbed the edge, and pushed it out, just as Louisa was pushed up onto it. "Don't worry, we'll get you afore too long, savvy?" he whispered as he pushed her out, and she turned before she reached the end.   
  
"You'll pay for this... you... you... pirates!" Jack only bowed, "Aye, that we are, miss. An' if ye'll please excuse me, we really must get going. You have one of our treasures, sir, an' that'll be all you'll manage to take from the Black Pearl, savvy?" He nodded to Jamie, who took the struggling Isabelle back under the deck to her cabin, and turned to Will. "Send her swimmin', Bootstrap."  
  
Will nodded, and stamped on the end of the plank. It moved so much that Louisa couldn't have kept her balance even if she'd been ready for it. The water was so cold it almost numbed her to the bone the moment she hit the surface, but once reason set in, she tried swimming for the surface. The dress she wore was pulling her down, and the bottom was too far away to bother with. Pulling at the strings frantically, she managed to remove the outer, heavy layer, and swim to the surface in only her shift.   
  
The other captain set down ropes, and men, to assist her onboard, while the Pearl sailed slowly away in the other direction. Louisa watched it go, wrapped in blankets so kindly lent by the ship's doctor, and wondered just how long 'afore too long' actually was. 


	23. Chapter 23: Interesting Revelations

Extra Disclaimer: I do not own the character of John Rolfe; as far as I know, he belongs to himself, but I borrowed him from "Pocahontas II", along with some of the things that took place in the first Pocahontas. I don't know if the times settings are right (I have a feeling they're not), but please ignore that slight slip up. Continuing the story....  
  
Chapter 23: Interesting Revelations   
  
Once the two ships were separated, Isabelle lost the last of her temper control. "What happened? I get *thrown* off the bed with a cannon blast, run out onto the deck, only to be treated like a *hostage*! What the hell is going on?" Jamie sighed, he knew his sister's tempers too well. "I'll let Da explain, aye? Ye won't listen t' me no matter what I say, so I may as well get Da now." He left the room before Isabelle had a chance to say anything else.   
  
Jack opened the door of the cabin, only to find himself face to face with a very angry daughter. "What the hell did you do that to Louisa for?" she asked without preamble. Jack grinned, "Would ye have preferred me t' stab her instead o' throwin' her o'erboard?" he asked coyly, and Isabelle's eyes narrowed. "Da! Ye've always been straight wi' me, why did ye have to do it?" Jack looked behind him, and closed the door quietly.   
  
Isabelle raised her eyebrows, and crossed her arms, waiting. Finally, Jack found the words he was looking for. "The privateers got within range o' the cannons, but I wasn't goin' to fire the first shot - t'ain't right, ye see - an' Louisa was just about to go under an' get ye. At the same time I grabbed her arm to stop her, they fired the cannon, an' we both fell out of the stairwell, savvy?"   
  
Isabelle nodded, "And...?" she prompted. Jack waved his hand at her, "Sit down, Bella. I'll tell ye, an' I'll tell ye straight, aye?" She nodded, and took a seat on the end of the bed. Jack spoke up again. "The cap'n saw me get to my feet, still holdin' onto Louisa, an' assumed the worst - that I was a pirate who'd kidnapped a noblewoman. He made such accusations against me, an' I used them to my advantage, 'tis all. If it had been *you* that I had with me at th' time, I'd have treated ye the same as what I did wi' Louisa, savvy?"  
  
Isabelle nodded, "Aye, Da. I savvy - but how long are ye gonna wait afore ye get Louisa back?" Jack shrugged, "That I can't answer, Bella. It all depends on how fast, an' how far, the ship is headin', an' if we can get on board t' get Louisa away wi'out them noticin', savvy?" Isabelle nodded again, "Aye, I savvy." Jack grinned, "Good. Now - get yeself away from th' cabin - we're down a hand, an' ye cannae be a layabout, aye?" Isabelle smiled, "Aye, cap'n."  
  
They left the cabin together, but Jack paused at the doorway, ~God help us all if they've gone too far to get to her safely~ he thought, before a sharp whistle from Will (Sr.) brought his attention back to the matter at hand. They had to get a move on, following a ship that was hours ahead, and almost disappeared from the horizon.   
  
The first three days were the hardest of the sailing days - they had to keep the privateers in sight, though not be seen themselves. It was tiring, and stressful for all the crew; though Jack didn't seem to be affected, it looked as though he was the only one. Even Will was snappy, but everyone knew that that was mainly because of his worry about his daughter.   
  
When they reached domestic waters, near a wharf and small town, they didn't worry about not being seen. For such a small place, there were a lot of ships - large merchant vessels, smaller passenger ships, and the smallest of the small - the local fishing boats. The town couldn't have had any more than five hundred inhabitants, but there were almost enough ships to give each man and child in the town a ship each. Jack stood at the helm, guiding the ship into dock. He anchored just off shore, and Jack, Will (Sr.), Jamie, Isabelle, and Will (Jr.) took the longboat to shore.  
  
The harbormaster stood at the ready, clipboard in hand, ready to take down names. Jack was the first off, as usual, and the harbormaster stepped forwards. "'T'will be three shillings per day t' leave the ship anchored, sir, an' I'll need not only your name, but the name of your ship." Jack and Will (Sr.) exchanged glances, and Jack grinned. "Aye, sir. But I have a proposition for ye - we'll only be here for two days, an' very few of the crew will be comin' ashore. How's about I give ye a pound, an' we forget the names?" The harbormaster looked very tempted, and it wasn't long before he agreed with a nod, "Aye. Welcome to Cape Town, Captain Smith, of the Black Rose."  
  
Jack grinned his thanks, and they left the longboat short a pound. There was no real need to worry though, because in his usual way, Jack took back his pound, with interest, by pocketing the harbormaster's purse as they left the dock.   
  
As it was late afternoon, and most places were closing up, making way for the taverns and brothels to open, the first thing they did was to book a room in the first hotel they came across. Jack, being Jack, only booked one room, though it had two beds - a double, and a single. Isabelle, being the only girl, ended up with the single bed, and the others requested Jack have the double, considering that he was the eldest. Jack refused, indignantly, and headed down to the bar section of the hotel, with Will (Sr.). They didn't return until the following morning.   
  
In the end, Jamie went elsewhere to sleep, and Will (Jr.) took the double bed, though neither Will or Isabelle got any sleep that night. They spent hours talking, about life on the sea, Louisa's whereabouts, even about the Triangle, or parts of it, at least. Isabelle left the single bed at some point, and sat leaned up against Will in the double. Nothing happened between them, though it wasn't for lack of attraction. Both felt something, yet were too nervous to say anything to the other. In the early hours of the morning, they fell asleep, still leaning against one another, only to be woken by the return of Jack and Will, sober as all hell, and playing the part of scandalized fathers perfectly. Both were so shocked to find Isabelle curled up around Will that they couldn't say anything. It was Jamie who actually did the waking, by banging loudly on the wall as he walked into the room.  
  
He saw his father, and Will (Sr.), standing mouths agape, before he saw what they were staring at. He started laughing, and didn't stop until all four of the others were staring at him. "You... you two... you two, along wi' Ma an' Elizabeth, practically *planned* for them to get together! And now it's happened..." he paused, overcome by laughter, and calmed himself down before continuing. "Now it's happened, ye don't think ye like it ver' much, aye?" Jack and Will exchanged glances, and shook their heads, before leaving the room, and one hysterical pirate's son laughing so hard, he ended up falling to the floor.   
  
When the morning had cleared up a bit, they set out to find Louisa. Will (Jr.) and Isabelle headed back to the ship with the intention of bringing a second longboat to the dock, while the others went to find Louisa. They saw her, walking with the captain of the privateer ship, wearing an obviously expensive dress. Will (Sr.) made one small movement as though to run towards her, which the captain saw, and once the small crowd had cleared away, Louisa was gone. Jack heard something behind them, and turned to face four of the privateer crew. They didn't look happy. "You're that cap'n, who kidnapped th' ladies, ain't ye?" the leader asked. He was a big man, twice the size of Jack (who wasn't exactly small), with enough strength to punch a hole in the side of a cargo ship. Or that's what it seemed, close up.  
  
Jack grinned, "Aye, so I am. I'm afraid I don't know who in hell *you* are, though, so pardon my rudeness." The guy only grinned, "That ain't important. What is important is that you ain't who you say you are, you get what I mean?" Jack made as though to say something, but thought about it, and answered, "Ah... no. I'm afraid I don't - care to be more specific?" The guy was obviously getting angrier by the minute. "You said you was Jack Sparrow, but I know fer a fact that Jack Sparrow, an' the Black Pearl, was sunk to the bottom of the Caribbean."  
  
Jack looked at him as though he were a two-year-old with a cut thumb. "Really? Care to tell me how you know this for a fact?" The guy laughed, "'Coz I was in the crew that sunk it, more'n twenty year ago."  
  
*****  
  
The ship wasn't the worst place in the world to be - Louisa was waited upon hand and foot by both the young captain, and the rest of the crew, who honestly believed she was a young noblewoman, kidnapped along with her travelling partner, Isabelle, when their ship was sunk. The captain, who's name turned out to be John Rolfe, was a privateer, though not by choice.   
  
"Ma'am, we cannot return to the ship to rescue your travelling partner as it could jeopardize her personal safety. You yourself were almost killed, and I honestly doubt that you wish your friend to be killed. I'm sorry, but we must hold our own side of the bargain, and stay away." Louisa played the part of a noblewoman well - "Of course I don't want Isabelle killed! what do you mistake me for, a... a... savage?" she yelled, and Rolfe sighed. "Of course not, ma'am, but by going after the Black Pearl we will seriously put Miss Isabelle in danger. Do you understand?"  
  
Crossing her arms like any spoiled young noble would, Louisa sat onto the end of the chair and pouted. Rolfe shook his head, and left the room quietly, leaving Louisa to wonder how long Jack intended to wait before he came after her.  
  
By the time the third day had passed, with no sign of the Black Pearl behind them, Louisa really started to get worried. The intended destination of the ship was the Colony of New England, where savages and the English had found a way to co-exist, at least, that was what it had been at the last report. That had been when the ship carrying the ex-Governor of the Colony had returned to the mother country, as she'd found out over the several meals she'd shared with Rolfe.   
  
The fourth morning brought them to a stop at a small seaside town, with the intended length of stay being only for several hours. The privateer crew, however, didn't like the agreement with the captain, and they stayed for almost two days. It was fine by Louisa - it gave Jack and the Pearl more time to catch up to her. There was a slight problem, though - if the Pearl did catch up, or overtake the ship, then the crew was likely to fire cannons first, and ask questions later, ending in either her own, or Isabelle's deaths. It was not something to look forwards to.  
  
She was allowed off the ship at the stopover, though she had to stay close to Rolfe to avoid any encounters with the crew, and she did enjoy herself. It wasn't long before they found the shore traders, and the wide range of items on display. Rolfe did complain that the prices were extravagant, compared to England, but had to admit that they were a *long* way from England.  
  
Louisa felt like she was home; it was hard staying in character when there were so many things that reminded her why she'd given up the life of a noble with her Grandfather, for the freedom of the sea. Rolfe stayed close, yet remained a long way behind - all the way back to England, truth be told. Louisa found this a little easier to stay in character, as she had a little leeway either side if she said or did something not quite right.   
  
Making their way back to the ship, Rolfe suddenly stopped, grabbed her arm tightly, and pulled her into a small alley. "What are you doing?" she protested loudly, but Rolfe placed his hand over her mouth, "Keep quiet - I think that pirate crew is looking for us...." Louisa looked over his shoulder and saw Jack and Will striding down the main path; directly behind them were several members of the privateers crew; her eyes opened wide in shock, and for the sake of all concerned - it wasn't acting.   
  
*****  
  
lilitaliandragon - I'm in Australia, it's still in the cinema's here! I've been begging my mother to let me order it thru amazon or something, but she doesn't like giving credit card details out over the net!  
  
To all my readers.... I've got an announcement, and an apology to make.   
  
The apology first - I was kinda caught up in final exams and regular end-of-school-4-eva stuff, so I apologise for not updating more often. I may not be able to update as much now, either, because I'm going working with my father and it's very unlikely I'll have any access to a computer.   
  
And now the announcement. This may come as odd, but because I've usually had a slight problem with finishing a story, I've already written the ending, and the second last chapter (which is in 3 parts), and I can't not tell anyone this, but someone dies. A good friend of mine, a very trusted good friend, wanted to read the last chap, but I wouldn't let her. I think it'll be a tear jerker - I was crying when I wrote it, and that was in the middle of maths, so it was slightly hard to explain to the teacher why I was upset! ~Teacher: Why are you upset? Me: I just wrote a very sad chapter in a fanfiction story instead of working out why x is where it is on the graph....~  
  
It is kind of expected, but I don't think anyone will pick up on it until it actually happens. And, if the story is well liked, I may consider a sequel, but you'll have to let me know when the time comes.   
  
That's enough from me, so I'll just save this and post it, and pray for reviews! 


	24. Chapter 24: Going Underground

Chapter 24:  
  
Jack knew the others were behind him, as did Will. The fight that had ensued after the original confrontation had been small, resulting in the leader of the crew missing an ear, allowing the two Captains to get away safely. They couldn't run through the crowd along the wharf, as it would draw too much attention to themselves (not that the fight hadn't, but Jack thought that was only necessary leverage to get away without being caught), and so they were stuck walking along at a brisk pace, looking for Louisa, and pretending that the pirates/privateers weren't there.   
  
Seeing a quick movement ahead, Will lengthened his stride, but didn't actually appear to be moving any faster. Jack heard the sharp snap as a gun was primed, felt for his own, and turned at the same time the leader held the gun directly at Jack's head. "Ye ain't too smart, you do realize? If you'd really wanted to kill me in full public, ye would've had the gun ready afore ye started chasin' me," stated Jack calmly. The guy snarled, "If I wanted ye dead, ye would be already."   
  
Will glanced at Jack, who appeared to be in control of the situation, before turning and heading towards where he'd seen the movement. When he was closer, he almost changed his mind. Standing in the alleyway was a big man. A very big man. He was at least a foot taller than Will, and easily more than double his width. Feeling for his own pistol, Will paused only momentarily before walking up to the man. "Excuse me, sir, but I believe you are standing in my way," he said, with as much dignity he could find. The man just laughed, "The alley don't lead nowhere the road don't - go around."   
  
Will kept his hand on his pistol the entire time; he faked a smile, and said simply, "But I wish to walk through the alley, sir. If you do not let me pass, I'll be forced to call upon the authorities!" The man laughed, "Around 'ere mate, I *am* the authorities!" Will laughed, "Well, sir, as I said, I'll have to call upon the authorities," he didn't pause as he brought his gun out, letting the barrel sit mere inches from the man's forehead. "And here they are. Now, sir, will you let me pass?" The man may have outweighed Will be several pounds, and have been able to pick him up and throw him easily, but he had one main fear - dying.   
  
"Well, mate, I can't actually let ye through, considerin' me boss said he'd keelhaul me if I did," he stammered, and Will raised his eyebrows, "Aye? An' who'd yer boss be?" The man was visibly nervous now - sweat ran off him like water. "Me boss... me boss is Cap'n John Morgan, of the English ship the Marygold. He's been waitin' fer Cap'n Rolfe t' bring 'im payment. Cap'n Morgan would've preferred money, but the girl were good enough." Will didn't change his face, "The girl? What girl would this be?"   
  
The man glanced over his shoulder, and was about to talk when he jolted suddenly. Will barely had time to step away as the man fell. Sticking out of his back was a knife, pushed in so far there was no blade visible, right into his spine. Running down the alleyway was a fairly-well dressed man, dragging a girl - obviously Louisa. Will looked back over at Jack, who was still immersed in negotiations with the guy from earlier, before turning and running down the alleyway after the pair.   
  
*****  
  
Jamie wasn't the type of person to be overly protective of his sister - he knew she could take care of herself - and he found the impending relationship between Isabelle and Will quite, well, normal, to say the least. Of course, he did give Will the obligatory jibing that came with liking his sister, but both knew he wasn't serious.   
  
Being (pretty much literally) abandoned by their fathers, the three friends wandered around the small town, both looking for Louisa, and for anything that could be considered interesting. They were, after all, only teenagers, and had to find something to do to keep their time occupied. Being on a ship was all well and fine - there was always something to do - but once they were on land, they considered it to be boring. People who'd spent their entire lives on land would say the same about the sea.  
  
Isabelle, for one, was worried about Louisa. "We can't just stand around! Louisa could be anywhere in this god-forsaken place!" Jamie sighed, "Isabelle - ye heard what Da said," but Isabelle cut him off angrily, "I know what Da said - but since when did I e'er get in trouble fer *not* doin' what Da said?" Jamie glanced at Will, "Ye know, she does have a point. She ain't ne'er been in trouble fer not followin' Da's orders - she's got 'im wrapped 'round her little finger!" Will nodded, "Aye, that she does. But it's a smugglers town - there's tunnels an' passage's all 'round the place - she could be anywhere."  
  
Isabelle smiled, "So, we look. Are ye gonna help me, or shall I go by meself?" Jamie laughed, standing up from where he'd been leaning on the side of a building. "I'll come wi' ye, Bella. But it were *your* idea, an' ye have t' tell Da that when he finds out, savvy?" She nodded, and glanced at Will. He shook his head, "I don't have much o' a choice, do I?" Both shook their heads, and Will nodded, "Then I'm comin', but I'm willin' t' bet Da an' Jack find her afore we do." Isabelle glared at him good naturedly, "Well, I don' care if they do, but I can't stand sittin' 'round doin' nothin' while Louisa's out there."  
  
It didn't take long for them to dig into the underground trading front, but it took them a little longer than what they'd expected to actually get into one of the auctions. "Ye canna tell me that this sale is gonna be above board - the guy tol' me that we could expect t' buy anything from guns t' 'household help'. They'll be sellin' slaves, at th' ver' least!" Isabelle argued as Jamie and Will faced off with her. Jamie shook his head, "Isabelle, I know what the guy said, but all I'm sayin' is that we won't see th' *full* sale 'cause we're new 'ere. They'll send us t' the smaller sales, wi' th' lower prices, until they see we can afford t' go into the bigger ones, savvy?"   
  
Finding nothing to argue back with, Isabelle merely glared at her brother, and crossed her arms. Will tried not to laugh, earning himself a glare in the process. They followed the directions given to them by the owner of the street stall, ending up in a small, dimly lit room, filled almost to bursting with people of all sorts. There were the usual traders, looking for a bargain to pass on in another port, wealthy men from the passenger ships looking for cheaper varieties of jewelry for their wives, and mistresses, and many of the inhabitants of the town itself, supporting the local business.   
  
Jamie paused at the entrance long enough to notice that many of the people in the room did not appear to have any real money - their clothes were old, upon closer inspection, and their shoes were worn. Isabelle was the only woman in the room - a fact she found oddly uncomfortable. Jamie whispered to her as they took their seats, "Do ye have yer money bag?" She nodded, and whispered back, "I'va hell of a lot more'n most of these guys - ye can tell, aye?" Jamie nodded, and Will passed her a small amount of information, "Wait until something rare comes out - an' it will - afore ye bid on anything, then outbid them as though ye've unlimited money. If ye go o'er the amount ye've got, then Jamie an' I will help ye out, savvy?"  
  
Isabelle nodded, and settled back into her chair. She knew she looked different from the other women in town, and she knew the men in the room had noticed. Going from what Jamie had once told her, she was dark enough to appear exotic, yet light enough to not be mistaken for a slave. All in all, she guessed it was a good combination.   
  
The auction started with small things - false gold boxes, jewelry, mouldy spices from overseas. Isabelle didn't bid on anything - she had Jack's eye when it came to spotting fake gold and silver, and most of the things they'd brought out were fake. The spices were of no use, and they were still to find a cook. When many of the people inside the room had bought something, the crowd began to disappear, until finally there were only about seven people in the room, not including the auctioneer.   
  
The next item was something that not only caught Isabelle's eye, but also Jamie and Will's as well. It was a sword, finely made, inlaid with gold and silver, and delicately balanced. Isabelle sub-consciously sat up straighter, catching the attention of an older man several seats behind her. The bidding started, but Isabelle bided her time. Jamie knew what she was doing, and Will trusted her judgment, so neither told her what to do. The bidding finally came to rest upon 200 silver pieces, cast by the man behind them. Isabelle turned in her seat and smiled coyly at him. He almost fell off his seat.   
  
The auctioneer started the final calls, "Going once at 200 silvers, twice, thrice..." Isabelle called out boldly, "150 gold." The auctioneer looked frozen. The man behind them let his mouth open and close like a fish - Isabelle only smiled. "I said, sir, 150 gold pieces. Goin' with what that's equal to, I'm guessin' that I'm payin' between 450 an' 600 silvers." The auctioneer finally came to his senses - "G...goin' once at 150 gold pieces... goin' twice... goin' thrice.... Sold, to the lady." Isabelle smiled at her brother, and sent him up to pay for and collect her sword. "Ye know, I always wanted one o' these..." she said with a grin to Will, who laughed, "Can ye use one?" Isabelle feigned being insulted, "What? With my father bein' who he is, ye think I canna use a sword? Course I can! Mine's better than his, that's all!" Will laughed, and Jamie presented his sister with her new sword.   
  
On their way out of the room, a man from near the front stopped them. "You folks ain't from 'round 'ere, are ye?" Isabelle shook her head, "No, sir, we're from Port Royal. My husband," she paused while she took Will's arm, "and I came to pick up my brother. His wife left him, you see, an' he came here wi' the intention o' turnin' pirate, but that would ne'er have worked out, considerin' that he gets awful seasick!" Jamie and Will exchanged glances, but said nothing. The man looked thoughtful for a minute, and finally nodded, accepting the story he'd been presented with. "It's not a good thing t' be goin' to the sea if ye get seasick, sonny. I think ye'd best thank yer sister fer comin' t' get ye, aye?" Jamie nodded, "That I have, sir. That I have - coming to this auction was my way of thanking her - she can't resist a sale, although I did make her wait through all of the fake trinkets passed through at the start, you understand."  
  
The man laughed, "You've an eye for gold?" he asked, and Jamie looked away, "Well, not so much an eye, sir, but I find it easy t' tell how much a piece is worth afore I like it or no." Nodding, the man held out his hand; Jamie took it without hesitation, "My name is Walter Newman - I control most of the auctions in this town. Perhaps you'd be interested in the one we have running tonight?" Jamie glanced at Isabelle, who nodded excitedly. "I think my sister seems to have made up my mind for me, Mr. Newman," he said with a laugh. Walter smiled, "Please, call me Walter, Mr....?" Jamie looked embarrassed, "My apologies... Walter. My name is James... Swann. I am a cousin of the Governor of Port Royal. My sister, Isabella, and my brother-in-law, Billy McIntosh - his father was Irish." Isabelle curtsied, and Will shook Walter's hand.   
  
Walter grinned like the cat with the keys to the canary cage, "Very nice to meet the three of you. Come to this room tonight, just after nightfall, and we'll see what we can find for ye. Good day, Miss Isabella," he added, tipping his hat. Isabelle nodded her head, praying she hadn't made any mistakes. Her mother had been right - lessons in how to be a lady paid off occasionally. 


	25. Chapter 25: An honest pirate

Chapter 25: An honest pirate  
  
It wasn't as though she *missed* John Rolfe, but Louisa had to admit his company was far better than that of Captain Morgan and his men. She was in a small, dimly lit room, chained to the wall. Her dress was ruined, ripped almost to tatters, leaving only her undergarments to keep her covered. She may have been used to wearing men's clothes on occasion, but it was still embarrassing to be caught wearing barely more than underwear.   
  
Louisa struggled against the chains, but it was no use. She was chained so tightly she'd have bruising, at least, on her wrists. Her hair was loose, covering her face entirely, and she'd lost her shoes somewhere along the line. She'd been so close to rejoining her father and Jack, so close! "There ain't no point in strugglin', lady. Ye'll only hurt yeself, an' ye may not fetch the price that th' Cap'n can get for ye tonight," commented the man on watch duty. He was, from what little Louisa had seen of him, roughly the same size of the man who'd knocked out Rolfe in the alley. "What do you mean by price?" she asked, already knowing what the answer was going to be.  
  
The guard just laughed, "Well, Rolfe couldn't pay back his... loan. Ye were in his possession, an' so ye were repossessed t' be sold. Ye dinna want anything bad t' happen t' ye young cap'n, do ye? Cause it will if ye dinna bring in the right price." The underlying laughter in the man's words had Louisa coming up short. The man had no soul - even Jack wouldn't stoop so low as to buy and sell people like animals. "You won't get away with this, my father...." She didn't have a chance to finish, as she was cut off by the man laughing. She heard the scrape of a chair over the floor, the footsteps coming closer. He pushed her hair back from her face, and Louisa realized he wasn't as big as the other man - he was about the same size as Jamie, if only wider in the shoulders.   
  
"Ye really are a sweet lass, did ye know that?" he asked in a sickly sweet voice. Louisa looked away. Grabbing her under the chin, he turned her face back to his, tearing away the remains of her dress with his other hand until she was wearing only the thin cotton shift. "I wouldn't do that if I were you," she managed to stammer. He only laughed. "An' who's gonna know 'bout whate'er I do 'ere? Ye won't be needed 'til tonight," he said, trying to maneuver her face to his in a kiss. His teeth were black, rotting, and had pieces of food between them - it made Louisa feel sick to her stomach.   
  
His face came closer and closer, until Louisa couldn't stand the smell of his breath any longer. She took a breath, glanced down, and positioned a knee in his groin. His breath left his body, and the expression on his face would have been considered comical if it weren't for the situation. Grabbing hold of the chains above her head, she lifted herself up enough to kick him back away from her. Losing his balance on the uneven floor, he fell backwards and hit his head with a loud thud on the edge of the chair. He didn't move again.   
  
Looking up again, Louisa realized that the chain was only looped over a metal piece jutting from the wall. Thinking quickly, she wondered if she could jump high enough to get the chain off the metal piece, and was about to test her theory when the door opened with a creak. Captain Morgan strode in, and for the first time, Louisa actually saw his face.   
  
He was strong, anyone could have seen that. He was what most people considered pirates to be - his face was scarred even his mother would have had trouble recognizing him. He was missing one ear completely, and half of the other. There was a ragged hat on his head, which covered one side of his face, leaving Louisa wondering how he could actually see - his left eye was covered with a black patch. He walked over to Louisa and stared her in the eye, "What might ye be doin', little miss? Ye've kilt me mate, as far as I can see, an' now ye be expectin' t' get away an' lose me my money? I don't be thinkin' so," he laughed, and Louisa cringed. What else did she look like she was doing? she asked herself angrily.   
  
"My father..." she started, but was stopped when Morgan backhanded her across the face. "Ye won't be speakin' 'less I tell ye, got it?" he yelled, and Louisa nodded, holding back the tears that threatened to spill from the shock. Morgan smiled, "Well, seein' as ye kilt yer only company, I'll leave ye t' yeself again. Ye'll be sold t'night, an' I expect that ye'll fetch a nice price. Oh, an' lovey, ye won't get that chain off the top - it's bolted," he laughed.   
  
Louisa felt her hopes sink, and she waited until Morgan had left before letting the tears run down her face. She refused to make a sound, and so she cried silently. Not knowing what to do, she let her head fall back onto the wall, wishing for a way to sit down, to take the weight off her feet. Where was her father, Jack... her brother? They couldn't have forgotten about her!  
  
*****  
  
Jamie, Will, and Isabelle went back to the room to wait for their fathers. "We should tell them about the auction - if Louisa get's sold, we hardly have a chance in hell of finding her!" Isabelle said angrily, pacing around the room. Jamie leaned against the wall, watching her, and Will sat with his feet up on the edge of the small desk. It was Will who added the logic into Isabelle's ramblings. "We don't even know if she *has* ended up underground. For all we know, that Captain is doin' what he promised and takin' care of a noblewoman by keepin' her in a room somewhere where she can't be kidnapped again."  
  
Isabelle stopped pacing only long enough to send a glare in her friend's direction. "That's why we should tell! If she did somehow manage to become 'property', there's a chance she'll be sold at an auction. 'Sides, it's the only thing we've got to do while Da an' Will look for Louisa themselves, aye?" Jamie nodded, "Aye, she has a point, Will," he said, glancing at his friend. "An' if I know my sister, she'll tell Da as though it were somethin' we did yesterday."  
  
Will nodded, defeated, and was about to say something when Isabelle suddenly went pale, and slumped to the floor. "Isabelle! What happened?" he asked hurriedly, helping her sit up. She was still pale, and she clutched her side, breathlessly. "Da... Jamie! Somethin's happened t' Da... I know it! He's hurt!" Jamie didn't hang around for long - he was out the door and running by the time Will had Isabelle to her feet. "Are you alright?" Will asked when Isabelle winced again. She nodded, "Aye, I'm fine. It passes after a while, but it hurts like ye wouldn't believe." Will laughed, and squeezed Isabelle's hand. She smiled, though she was obviously very much in pain.   
  
Jamie didn't take long to find his father - he had only to look for the crowd. Will was nowhere to be seen, but Jack, on the other hand, was in the process of being arrested. Blood stained the side of his shirt, but he had blood sprayed over his face that had come from someone else. He glanced at Jamie, who'd pushed through the crowd, but showed no recognition; he shook his head subtly when he saw his son about to say something.   
  
Jamie, though he hated it, did as he was told, and looked to where a second, smaller, crowd was still standing. On the ground at the center of the circle of people lay a man. Or what was left of him, anyway. He was stabbed through the stomach with what could only have been a sword, and a gun - the same gun lying on the ground behind him - had shot him through the back of his head. "What happened?" he asked one of the men recruited to remove the body. He shook his head, "Not too sure. I was at me ship, saw the crowd runnin', an' followed. Looked like this guy," he indicated the man on the ground, "an' the one who was taken away got int'a bit o' a scuffle, th' pirate stabbed 'im, an' then someone else blew 'is 'ead off. My bet is that it were the guy th' pirate were with earlier."  
  
Jamie thanked the man, who merely shrugged and went back to helping remove the body from the street. "Oh shit," he said, to himself more than anything, and headed towards the jail. The guards weren't exactly... willing... to let anyone see Jack, but when Jamie held up a black bag (which he'd, ah, *borrowed*, from the side of the road) and claimed to be a doctor, they let him through. "You've only got a few minutes, Doctor," said the guard who showed Jamie to the cell. Jamie nodded, "I thank you, sir. This will only take a few minutes."   
  
The cells were different to the usual ones in prisons. They were carved entirely into the side of a hill, and had heavy metal doors, which made escape practically impossible. The plus about the doors was that Jamie could speak to his father without the guards overhearing.  
  
Jack wasn't entirely surprised to see his son. "Ye took long enough, Jamie boy!" he complained with a grin as Jamie put the bag down. It turned out to be an actual doctor's bag, so there was an added convenience. "I had t' become a doctor - what else d'ye want?" Jamie retorted with a grin. Jack laughed, "Not so much as a bloody needle an' thread, an' yer bloody mother!" Jamie pulled open the bag, and removed a sharp stitching needle, along with a black thread. "I've got the needle an' thread, Da, but I doubt I can get Ma'ma t' come 'ere in th' near future!" Jack snatched the needle from his son before either had a chance to think.  
  
"If ye think I'm gonna let ye near me wi' that, ye've another thing comin', Jamie boy. I've done it jus' fine fer meself in th' past, an' that's how it's gonna stay!" he said, not waiting for Jamie to make a comment. "How's Bella?" he asked as an afterthought. Jamie shrugged, "It must've hurt a fair bit - she fainted - scared Will near senseless!" Jack laughed, "Aye, well, it does that if ye ain't ready for it," he said, pulling the side of his shirt out of his belt.   
  
Jamie waited only a moment before asking, "What happened, Da? How did ye manage t' end up in jail when ye were meant t' be lookin' for Louisa?" Jack raised his eyebrows, "Ye know, I been tryin' t' figure that bit out myself. 'Parently Louisa's been taken 'cause the young Cap'n couldn't pay a debt, an' she's gonna be sold underground at some point in the near future," he started, but Jamie stopped him. "What? How did ye find *that* out?" he asked, and Jack grinned, "Will tol' me that - he chased Louisa an' the Cap'n all o'er town 'til they disappeared inside a house, an' he did some searchin' an' this is a smugglers town. I always said ye could trust a dishonest man to be dishonest, but an honest man ye can ne'er trust t' be honest."  
  
Jamie laughed, "An' what would *you* be, Da?" he asked; Jack looked insulted, "I'm an honest pirate," he said with a grin. "So, what happened wi' the guy in the street?" Jamie asked, changing the topic back onto the reason why Jack was in jail. "He said he'd killed me years ago," Jack started, but Jamie cut him off again, "So ye gave him the chance to?" Jack held up his hand for silence. "I didn't say that. He said he'd killed me, an' sunk th' Pearl, so I tol' him to go an' see if it weren't the Pearl anchored jus' a bit offshore. He left, an' I found Will, who told me what 'appened t' Louisa, then when we went t' find 'er big shot snuck up behind us, an' I had t' fight 'im."  
  
Jamie sighed, shaking his head. Jack ignored him, but still kept talking, "I stabbed 'im, he stabbed me, then some guy put a gun t' the back o' his head an' pulled the trigger. It weren't 'sactly nice t' get sprayed wi' blood," he added at the end, and Jamie laughed, "I don't suppose it would be. If Lousia *has* been taken t' be sold, Da, then th' only way t' get her back is t' *buy* her back, aye?" Jack nodded, looking at his son down his nose. "Aye, I guess it would be - what did ye have in mind?" Jamie laughed, "It was Isabelle plan, an' so she gets t' take credit for it, savvy?"  
  
Jack nodded impatiently, "Get on wi' it - what's the plan she thought up?" he asked, leaving Jamie time enough to start talking. "We went lookin' for Louisa this mornin', an' come across one o' th' underground auctions. Isabelle bought a sword, an' she paid enough to attract the guy who runs these auctions. He offered us a seat at tonight's auction - but the prices they'll be askin' are goin' t' be phenomenal. If we're goin' t' buy Louisa back, we'll have to pay a high price - Will an' I can get the money, no problem there - but then we'll 'ave t' get you out of 'ere, an' get us all t' the ship, in only a short while. You goin' to be up t' runnin'?" Jack raised his eyebrows, "What d'ya take me for, Jamie boy? An ol' man?" he asked, offended. Jamie only laughed. 


	26. Chapter 26: Buying from the heart

Chapter 26: Buying from the heart  
  
Morgan moved Louisa into a room with another twenty or so girls. They were under strict instruction to 'pretty the little lady up' before the sale. It wouldn't have been so bad, thought Louisa, except that *all* of the others tried to add their own finishing touches. In the end, when Morgan returned, he requested three of the elder girls fix what the collective group had done.   
  
The overall result wasn't too bad. Her hair was swept up into a complicated-looking French twist (Genevieve had told her afterwards what it was), her face was made up, hiding the darker complexion she'd gained from so many days in the sun. She'd been given an entirely new dress to wear - it was deep blue silk, cut to a simple, but very revealing, neckline, which was lined in fine French lace, and held up by the extra layer of whalebone corset. The skirt was full length, and fell in folds to the ground, held out only by the skirt of her underdress.  
  
Genevieve showed Louisa to a full-length mirror to show her the final look. Louisa knew then why her mother hated corsets with a passion - she could hardly breathe, and was forced to walk in very small steps. Not good for someone wanting to make a fast-getaway. Perhaps, thought Louisa idly to herself, that was the whole point. "What happens to us tonight?" she asked the French girl, who was about to walk out of the room. Genevieve smiled sadly, "You get sold to the highest bidder, outfit included - though many men who buy the girls give the dress to their wives. They get a bargain that way, you see - a dress and a servant for the price of one."  
  
Louisa nodded, "Oh," was all she managed to say. Genevieve brightened considerably, "But many men buy the girls as their mistresses - they're spoiled and practically set free. Some girls have even been known to marry their masters," she said, thinking she'd said the right thing. Louisa tried to smiled back, but found she could barely force it. Genevieve didn't seem to notice, though, and for that, Louisa was glad. She turned back to the mirror - where are you, Da? she thought to herself, any of you?  
  
*****  
  
Jamie took a swim back to the Pearl, returning with another longboat, plus a leather bag of gold pieces. Isabelle was feeling a lot better than what she had been, the pain in her side subsided to barely more than a light throbbing feeling every once in a while. Will was obviously a little spooked by the whole thing, and shot an occasional glance in Isabelle's direction. Isabelle insisted she was feeling well enough to go to the auction, and neither Will nor Jamie could change her mind.   
  
And so, they were waiting at the right place, at the right time, with a large group of other's waiting to be taken to the auction site. It was a very strict place to be - people were watched carefully, inspected both physically and from a distance - before they were allowed to enter the room.  
  
It was substantially larger than the site of the first auction, and was already almost filled when the three entered. There were three empty seats in the center of the room, and they took them before anyone else could. It had a good view of the platform, and they could see the auctioneer clearly, which meant they'd be able to see the people on display.   
  
Isabelle sat center, finding once again that she was one of only three other women in the room. "What exactly did Da say, Jamie?" she asked in an undertone. Jamie glanced over his shoulder as he stretched, looking to make sure no one would overhear. Finally, he answered, "He said to buy Louisa back, no matter what the cost, and get you two back to the Pearl. I saw Bootstrap when I left the prison, an' he an' Will are goin' t' get Da out o' prison, aye?" Isabelle didn't look convinced. "Ye spent almost two hours away from us, Jamie, an' that was all ye were told? Ye ain't cut out t' be a liar, dear brother," she said, causing Jamie to look insulted.  
  
"Isabelle, ye know ver' well I can't lie t' ye - an' I'm not lying, I swear," he retorted. Isabelle raised her eyebrows, "Aye? Will ye swear on Louisa's head?" she asked coyly. Jamie said nothing, only turned in his seat so he was facing the front of the room, his long hair hiding the pinkish tinge his ears had acquired. Isabelle said nothing more, just crossed her arms and sat with a smug look on her face. Will tried to keep himself from laughing at his two friends.   
  
It wasn't long before the room was filled, and the auction began. The first few items were simple - a few treasure chests, a few more swords - similar to the one Isabelle had bought - and Jamie found himself beginning to get anxious. Finally, the auctioneer signaled to the man standing at the still-open door, and within seconds, the door was closed, and bolted. The auctioneer cleared his throat, and started.   
  
"Now we have what most of you are here for - the sale of the young lads and lasses, complete with fancy outfits. Each young one to come out onto the platform has a number, and once a purchase has been made, the purchaser is to come to me. Once you have paid, in full, I will give you a card with that number on it. Once the auction has concluded, you may collect your purchases from the original auction room any time before tomorrow night. Any uncollected purchases will be re-auctioned, and no refunds will be given. Let the auction begin," he finished, nodding to a man at the edge of the platform.   
  
He opened the door, and a young girl walked to the center of the platform. Isabelle felt her breath catch in her throat - the girl couldn't have been more than 10! Jamie felt his sister stiffen in her chair, but merely squeezed her hand. It wasn't until the bids started coming loud and fast that he spoke, "Ye canna do anything, Isabelle. We may only have enough to buy Louisa back - ye canna buy every young person they bring onto the market," he finished, noticing the tears beginning to build up. She nodded, "Aye, I know, Jamie. But it makes me feel so sad - they're children. They should be having fun with their families, not being sold as slaves!" Jamie nodded in agreement, "Aye, that they should. But ye canna save every person in the world, Isabelle. It will be enough for us to save Louisa an' Da in this town."  
  
The slam of the auctioneers mallet finished the sale; the young girl had been sold for almost 100 gold pieces, to a man of about 50. Isabelle felt the leather pouch sewn to the underside of her dress - she still had between 200 and 300 gold pieces left. It wouldn't be asking too much if she saved one of the children, would it? Deciding to wait until after they'd safely bought back Louisa, Isabelle promised herself she would try and save one of the children, had she any money left - provided they were still bringing them out then.   
  
There didn't appear to be any order with the auction. It seemed that different traders had all of their 'merchandise' appear at once, and another would start. There were people being sold of every race imaginable - Chinese, German, African, English, Irish (to name just a few) - and every class. It was clear how the prices marked. People who were buying slaves to work bought the lower-class people. The higher-class people were sold mainly to men who wanted a mistress, or a companion. The children were sold to almost anyone, but white children fetched a far-higher price.   
  
Isabelle was almost beginning to give up hope that Louisa would actually be brought out, when the door opened yet again. Louisa was the third girl in her section, and it was easy to see that it was these girls who attracted the highest prices. Every man in the room was on edge, had been on edge since the first girl had walked out. Next to her, Isabelle felt Jamie stiffen slightly at Louisa's appearance. Louisa could have passed as a member of the English Royal Family quite easily, though it was clear she was as nervous as anything.   
  
The bidding started at 100 gold, and rose incredibly higher. Isabelle hadn't thought to ask Jamie how many gold pieces, or equivalent, he had, and now she was genuinely worried. Finally the bidding slowed in pace, and Isabelle listened intently - to her surprise, it was close to 600 gold pieces! Jamie didn't appear to be doing anything but watching, but Isabelle knew every fibre of his attention was diverted to the platform, the auctioneer, and that every muscle in his body was tense.   
  
The bidding lowered to two bidders, each vying for the top price. When several minutes passed, without a word being spoken, the auctioneer started his final countdown. It's now or never, thought Jamie to himself. "1000 gold pieces, or equivalent!" he called out, startling Isabelle almost off her chair. Will hadn't been paying much attention to Jamie, only listening to the auctioneer, and watching his sister, but now he, along with the rest of the room, looked towards Jamie. Jamie merely grinned.   
  
The 'owner' of the girls was standing near the stage, and he poked the auctioneer in the leg to remind him that the auction wasn't over. Nodding, he started his countdown again. Jamie waited, nervously, as the auctioneer spoke, "Going once... going twice... one thousand gold pieces, or equivalent, ladies and gentlemen... going thrice... last call at one thousand... sold! To the young lad in the center. Come down and collect your card, please sir."  
  
Jamie made his way to the front, releasing the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. He carried the leather bag with him, knowing payment was expected at that moment. He'd bid everything, the whole thing, on the chance that the other man wouldn't rise above 1000 gold or equivalent. The truth was, the leather bag probably held more than 1000 once it had all been counted, and the gems sold on, but it wouldn't be any good bidding on chance.   
  
He tipped the bag onto the Hessian counting rack, and waited while they proved his worth. In the end, after discussion with the 'owner' of the girls, they handed him back the two small diamonds and the small handful of rubies that had been in the bag. "You've paid too much, sir. I hope you will accept this repayment with our thanks," said the auctioneer quiet enough so the rest of the crowd wouldn't hear. He handed over a piece of card, which had the combination M3 scrawled onto it. "M3... how will I know the girl I collect will be the one I paid for?" Jamie asked, trying not to sound too suspicious. The auctioneer motioned to the 'owner', who led Louisa over, and held the soft side of her wrist out for him to see. Tattooed into the skin was the combination, M3.   
  
Jamie nodded, trying not to look at Louisa's face, and smiled, "Thank you, sirs. I hate to pay a large amount of money for something, only to be given a fake in return." Both auctioneer and 'owner' laughed, before Louisa was led off the platform, and the auction continued. Jamie took his time going back to his seat, and was shocked to see Will pass him in the aisle. "What?" he asked, but Will only shrugged, "Ask your sister," he called back as they passed. Returning to his seat, he looked at Isabelle questioningly. She only nodded towards the stage where a young girl was standing. She looked to be about 12, or 13, and was almost as dark as Jamie and Isabelle, though she would reach that colour easily with a few days in the sun.   
  
"Isabelle! What did ye do that for? We've enough problems as it is about getting out of this goddamn place safely!" he said, as much under his breath as possible. Isabelle only raised her eyebrows, "You leave me and my business alone, James Sparrow. I'm not completely daft - an' ye did say ye wished we had an extra pair o' hands t' help, aye?" Knowing it was impossible to argue with his sister when she had her mind set to something, Jamie sighed, took his seat, and waited in silence until the auction was over. The whole time, he was thinking, what the hell do we do now? 


	27. Chapter 27: Surprises, of sorts

It was my birthday yesterday! I'm *Finally* 17!! Yay for me! *Jumps up and down like a lunatic* Ahem, *Clears throat again loudly* on with the story, and please ignore my little outburst!  
  
Chapter 27: Surprises, of a sort  
  
It wasn't as though the view wasn't good, thought Jack to himself as he stared out of the one small window in the cell. It looked straight into the bedroom of a nobleman, and in the past three hours, Jack had counted four different women enter the room. Some, the man slept with, while the others watched on. Really, thought Jack, turning and laying down on the hard bed, you never could tell with some of these nobles.   
  
The main door opened with a creak, and the small panel in the front of his door snapped open. Staring into the room was the man who'd arrested him, "Jack Sparrow?" he asked loudly, trying to sound important. Scared whelp, thought Jack to himself, not bothering to hold back a grin. In a way he was glad he had his hat pulled down over his eyes so he wouldn't have to look at him. It was a pity they'd taken his gun, sword, and jacket though - it would have topped his 'insolent pirate' look completely.   
  
After a while, the officer called again, "Jack Sparrow?" - though now his voice wasn't as steady. Jack answered, "Captain, Captain Jack Sparrow." The officer muttered something to himself, and snapped the panel shut again. "That was rude," complained Jack. "Don't pay no mind t' him, Cap'n," answered the wall. "He thinks 'e's so great cause he's in charge o' this town. Personally, I'd rather be in charge o' a kitchen than this town."  
  
Jack sat up, incredulously. "An' who might you be, or shall I just refer to ye as 'wall'?" he asked, thinking back to when he'd been brought in. there hadn't been anyone else in the prison then, he was sure of it. In fact, the door had been open. The wall laughed, "Ah, don't be worryin' 'bout me, Cap'n. I been in an' out o' prisons since I could walk. I was born in one t' be perfectly honest," came the reply. Jack nodded to himself, "Aye? So ye'd be an honest man, then?" he asked back. "Sure, an' the devil is as honest as God," was the reply. Jack raised his eyebrow, "Aye, but that don't tell me who the hell ye are."  
  
The wall took a while to answer, but finally came out with, "I ain't nothin' more than a corsair, cap'n. there ain't no point t' me havin' a name, seein' as I'll be dancin' wi' Jack Ketch afore th' week is out." The voice had a resigned tone to it, and Jack faintly wondered if he'd ever felt that way once he'd been sentenced to be hung. "Tell ye what," Jack started, a plan already ticking in his head, "If ye tell me your name, or whate'er it is that ye get called, I'll help ye get out - savvy?" The wall laughed, but there was a slightly more hopeful tone when the answer drifted back, "If ye can get me outa 'ere, Cap'n, I'll join ye - even if that means I'm t' live in the brig o' your ship. I ain't a stranger t' earning my way - an' I'll do anything ye want me to."  
  
Jack mulled it over, "Aye, I think we've a deal. Now will ye tell me your goddamn name, or do ye *want* me t' christen ye wall?" he asked, and the wall laughed again, much brighter than before. "Aye, I'll tell ye. They call me Ranger, but I can't tell ye why," he added, and Jack laughed. "Welcome t' me crew, Ranger," he said, before turning back to the bed. At least here they supplied a bed - this place was 5 star compared to Port Royal!  
  
*****  
  
When Will reached the room they'd booked, he was hardly surprised to find the three teenagers missing. Jamie *was* twenty, but even Jack had to admit he acted younger than Isabelle some days! He didn't know why the officers in the town were after him, but he knew he'd be safe enough at the tavern - he'd already seen wanted men come in and be hidden by the owners and patrons. He had a sneaking suspicion that all 5 of them had a different plan about getting back onto the Pearl.   
  
Jamie's plan had been simple enough - buy Louisa back from the slave traders at the auction, get her and Isabelle to one of the longboats and send them on their way back to the ship, before returning and meeting up to get Jack out of the prison. It may as well have been Fort Knox - not an inch of the outside wasn't watched at all times. The only thing to divert the attention of the officers was to create a big enough diversion, but what could be big enough?  
  
Getting an idea, he left the tavern, took one of the longboats to the ship, and met up with the crew. "...as *soon* as they get here, not just before, or just after. If ye don't get the timing right, we could *all* end up on the gallows, savvy?" The chorused 'aye, cap'n' didn't do anything to lessen the feeling that something was going to go wrong, and it was with another glance towards the dark sky, steadily filling up with thunderclouds, that he took the longboat back to the shore and docked it where it had been earlier. It's up to you guys now, he thought, taking a seat under a shop front to wait for the others.   
  
*****  
  
Jamie, Isabelle, and Will didn't take long to redeem their purchases, going straight to the room as soon as the auction finished. Jamie was the only one to enter the room, as there were already crowds inside. Bribing one of the 'officials' with one of the diamonds, he was ushered to the front of the line. He handed over the two cards, M3 and M4, and the official smiled in recognition. "You're the person who paid big for Morgan's latest girl. It was a good choice - she has breeding about her. Your lady friend had a good eye as well - not very many people like to buy the young ones, though. Wait a moment, and I'll get them for you," he added hastily, seeing the impatient look on Jamie's face.   
  
He returned with the young girl Isabelle had bought, and a girl in a long blue dress. Blinking, he walked over to the girl and looked her over. "This isn't the girl I bought," he stated. The official looked offended, "It is. Numbers M4 and M5, right?" he confirmed. Jamie shook his head, "No, *M3* and M4. Check my cards!" he insisted. The official looked very nervous, and stammered, "I've handed the cards on... sir..." but he didn't get a chance to finish, "I paid 1000 gold pieces for M3 - and I want M3. I don't care if my money is refunded - I want that girl. Immediately."   
  
The official jumped into action, and ran back into the other room, returning with Louisa. "I apologize, sir. I'm afraid I may have read the cards wrong," he said, going out of his way to apologize. Jamie held up his hand to silence the blubbering official. "Leave it; I have what I came for," he finished, pushing both Louisa and the girl along, a little rougher than he intended, but keeping in character perfectly. The crowd in the room practically cleared out of their way as they left.   
  
No one spoke. The young girl looked as though she was about to faint; Louisa looked like she was about to murder someone. Jamie didn't bother with formalities - he picked up the girl, and they headed for the shore where the boats were tied. Louisa held her tongue until they were safely out of earshot, but then she let go. "Why did ye wait so long? I could've been sold to *anyone*! An' ye never would have found me! Then ye go an' *push* me through a crowd o' people like I ain't nothin' but a *slave*? What were ye *thinking*, James Sparrow?"   
  
"What is it about girls and them usin' my full name when they're mad at me?" he asked Will, who only shrugged. "Now ye know why we call her Cannonfire, aye?" Will laughed, causing Louisa to shoot a glare in his direction. A laugh from the shadows behind them caused all five to turn, like they'd been caught doing something they shouldn't have been. Will (Sr.) walked out from behind the one tree in the area, still laughing slightly. He stopped, though, when he saw the girl. "Do I even *want* to know?" he asked his son, who shook his head, "Probably not, Da, but I do think ye'll get the drift later."  
  
Nodding, he turned to the boat, pushed it out onto the water, and helped the three girls into it. "The rest of us are going for Jack - get out t' the ship, an' no matter how startled ye are, don't stop the crew from doing whatever they do, savvy?" he said, looking directly at Louisa. Both girls nodded, and took an oar each. The little girl curled into the front of the rowboat, and didn't move as Isabelle and Louisa cast off.  
  
Will waited until they were out of sight in the dark, before turning to his father. "So, what's the plan for getting' Jack out o' the prison? Jamie said it was harder t' get into than the Triangle!" Will (Sr.) nodded, "Aye, that'd be an apt description - but there's a weak point near the windows. The only problem is that the windows are watched at all hours - no matter the weather."  
  
They began to head towards the prison, and had only just reached the side of the hill when the sky opened and rain began to bucket down. "Jus' like the Triangle," Jamie laughed sarcastically, "Always rains when ye don' want it to." Will (Jr.) turned to his father, "So, if the only weak points are the windows, and they're always being watched, *how* are we meant t' get Jack?" Will (Sr.) laughed, "Just wait for a while. As soon as the signal goes off, we'll have plenty of time t' get to th' windows," he finished.   
  
As if on cue, the guns on the ship began to fire. Jamie almost jumped clean out of his skin, while Will (Jr.) ducked down as though he'd been swooped by a pelican. Will (Sr.) couldn't keep the grin off his face - once they'd recovered from their shock, Will (Jr.) and Jamie laughed as well. "Ye deserve to kiss the gunner's daughter, Da! Why didn't ye gi'e us some warning?" Will asked. His father laughed, "It were more fun t' see the reaction on ye faces!"   
  
After waiting only minutes more, the three ran towards the hill. By the time they reached the base of the prison, the crew had made their way onto land with the intent to reclaim the 1000 gold pieces used to buy Louisa back. Well, the 1000 gold pieces, plus interest. The townspeople were running everywhere, panicked and generally doing the best they could to get away. It reminded Will (Sr.) of the time he'd first met Jack Sparrow, but he didn't have time to reminisce. Firstly, they had to tell Jack to get away from the window.  
  
*****  
  
A/N: I know it's probably short compared to my other chapters, but I'm going away (possibly) today and I want to leave you all with a bit of a cliffhanger (I'm not very good at them, so I apologise. My hands like to keep writing and writing and writing... and I'm just gonna shut up now!). I'm not sure when I'll be back, I could be going to my grandmothers until the 22nd then to Melbourne (I live in Australia by the way) until the 27th then be in Toowoomba until after new year. That sounds like a long time now I've written it down...  
  
Anyway, I'm going to take my disks with the hope of finding a computer to keep writing, and with Internet to update occasionally, but I can't promise anything. Besides that, have a merry Christmas, a happy new year, and try not to get too drunk! 


	28. Chapter 28: The big bang

Chapter 28: The big bang  
  
"Is this part of th' whole plan, cap'n? Havin' th' guns go off an' kill th' village?" asked Ranger through the wall. Jack stared out of the window for a moment longer, before turning and punching the wall with all the force he could manage. In a way, it was a planned move, and in a way, it was to release his frustration. The walls were thin, after years of men scratching notes and names into it, and the punch tore away the last remaining clumps of hard dirt and stone.   
  
A face appeared in the hole as Jack pulled his hand away, rubbing his knuckles. Ranger was fairly young, around twenty-five or so, compared to most of Jack's crew, but he seemed strong, and able to hold his own. "Nice punch, Cap'n," he said with a grin, and then proceeded to help the pirate pull down the rest of the wall.   
  
Outside, Will, his son, and Jamie were still discussing the fact that the Pearl's guns were successfully destroying the town. "Ye can't tell me, Da, that ye didn't mean t' blow the enitre town into a panic," complained Will, laughingly, to his father, who only smiled. "An' *you* can't tell me, Nine-cat, that ye didn't expect it." Will (Jr.) didn't grant his father the satisfaction of an answer; instead, he turned to Jamie and whispered, "Cuckoo," whilst doing the obligatory hand movements.   
  
Will, who knew what his son was thinking, simply ignored him, picked up the large leather bag he'd had stashed, and started to stealthily move towards the prison. Taking care not to be seen, he waited only moments before the two younger men appeared beside him. "Don't think *you're* having all the fun, Bootstrap!" whispered Jamie, stepping into a shadow to avoid being seen by the one guard still on duty. Will shook his head, opened the bag, and handed a bundle of dynamite to the rogue.  
  
"Go an' have yeself some fun, Jamie. There's a small hut down the hill a way, full o' gunpowder an' ammunition. make sure it goes off wi' a *bang*, aye?" finished Will; Jamie didn't hesitate - he took the bundle and took off, vanishing and reappearing throughout the shadows. Handing another bundle to his son, Will pointed to the nobleman's manor overlooking the prison hill. "I don't care what ye decide to blow up," he said, looking towards the prison, "Just so long as it goes up, savvy?"  
  
Will (Jr.) laughed, quietly, "Aye, Da. It'll go up." Will (Sr.) had no doubts. If anything, his son had taken a liking to explosives, and could magnify the smallest explosions up to ten times, if given the right target. The manor was more than suitable, and within minutes, simultaeneous explosions rocked the hill. The manor crumpled, collapsing into nothing but dust and the occassional clump of burning rubble. The ammunition shack was a just as impressive explosion, sending burnign cases of gun powder into the air, which then exploded before they hit the ground.   
  
Both arrived back under the trees at the same time, streaked with dust and drimes, but with grins on their faces to rival even the cheekiest cheshire cats. "We have only a few minutes," started the senior Will, already heading towards the prison, "Jamie - go to the window an' tell Jack t' take as much cover as possible. Will - head to the base of the left wall an' plant these - it *has* to break through, savvy?" Both guys nodded, and set off to do their jobs.   
  
Jamie looked into the window to see his father and another prisoner working on one of the cell doors, trying to break through the lock. "Hey! Da!" he called, causing Jack to almost hammer his thumb with the makeshift hammer he was using. "Jamie Boy! What ye be doin' here!" he asked, abandonning the door. "I've come wi' a message from Bootstrap - take as much cover as ye can. He's planned somethin' stupid, but wi' his luck, he'll pull it off." Jack nodded, "Aye, him an' his bloody luck! We'll take cover - jus' get us out, savvy? I'm too old t' be stuck in a cell!" Jamie nodded, and left the window, rejoining the father-on demolition team.   
  
Will didn't waste any time giving orders, "Jamie, there's three bundles on the right, Will, the three ye planted. Let's gi'e this town an evening of fireworks like they've ne'er seen afore!" Both Jamie and Will sprung into action, lighting their three bundles of explosives each, while Will (Sr.) lit three near the window, put them on the sill between the bars, and ran.   
  
It was a dominoe effect. One blew, then another at the other end, and another, until it ended with the window, which blew after a momentary pause. The entire side of the prison exploded, showering bricks and rubble on the three in the shadows. Jack and the other prisoner emerged, coughing and brushing off dust (not that it did any good!). Keeping to his usual self, Jack looked at Will (Sr.) sternly, "We really need to have a talk 'bout you an' doin' stupid things. Before someone get's hurt," he added as an afterthought. Will laughed, "Later, Jack. Plenty o' time later."  
  
*****  
  
Meanwhile, on the Pearl, Louisa, Isabelle, and the girl were alone on the deck. The guns were still firing on the lower deck, and the girl was almost paralyzed with fright. Isabelle put an arm around her shoulders comfortingly. "Do ya think Da's all right?" Isabelle asked Louisa worridly. Louisa nodded, "Isabelle, your father has been a living skeleton, had his head bashed in by my father coutless times, come out o' the Bermuda Triangle alive, an' cheated death more times than ye can count. What is there t' worry about?"  
  
Isabelle glared at her friend good-naturedly, but she was still worried. "I can't feel anything, which either means he'd holding his breath, or... or something else," she finished, unable to put her thoughts into words. Louisa saw, though, and laughed, "Has your father ever died before?" she asked, and Isabelle shook her head. "Well, how do ye know what it'd feel like then?" she finished, and Isabelle visibly relaxed. "Aye, you're right, Cannonfire. I'm jus' worried."  
  
SUddenly, a massive explosion lit up the coastline. The girl fainted dead away, and Isabelle barely caught her before she hit the deck. The explosion was far bigger then the two before it, and neither Isabelle nor Louisa blamed the girl for fainting. "That's it," declared Isabelle, heading for the boat, "I'm going back over there." Louisa grabbed her friend's shoulder. "Are ye mad? Ye'd pass Da an' Jack on the way! Along wi' the rest of the crew - don't ye remember what they were all talkin' 'bout afore they left?" Louisa practically yelled, "The Big Bang is a signal for them all t' come back!" she finished, releasing Isabelle's arm.   
  
Isabelle sent another glance towards the boat, but gave in and knealt beside the girl. "I know, I know," she said under her breath before wondering out loud, "I wonder why this girl was in your lot... Morgan don't usuall sell girls, only women." Louisa didn't have a chance to answer, as a loud knock sounded on the side of the ship, the signal for the rope ladder to be let down. She ran to comply, Isabelle's words in her mind. Why *had* Morgan had a young girl up for sale? 


	29. Chapter 29: Reunions

Chapter 29: Reunions  
  
Introductions had been simple enough, though Ranger did protest to Jack calling him 'Wall'. The boat trip kept Jamie and Will (jr.) silent, as they were rowing as fast as they possibly could, but their fathers could tell they were bursting to as Ranger countless questions.   
  
As it was, Will (sr.) asked only semi-cordinal questions, but with an underlying tactic. By slowly drawing the convict out, it was a way of cross-examining him with what Jack already knew, and also seeing how much information he chose to give freely. It was something he and Jack had decided on, without speaking. Jamie saw the looks the two captains were exchanging, and wondered what they were planning. Will was too busy staring at the dirt-covered stranger - he knew he'd seen his face somewhere before, but he couldn't think where or when, and it was eating at his mind.   
  
When they reached the Pearl, Jack knocked loudly, for someone to let the rope down. The rest of the crew wouldn't be too far away, and Jack wanted to get his new crew member on board before the ruckus started. The ladder dropped, and jamie was the first up. He was followed closely by Will (Jr.), before Jack, and Ranger; the senior Will took up the rear.   
  
On the deck, Isabelle managed to wake the girl just as Ranger stepped off the edge. The girl's face went slightly paler than it already was, before lighting up with unmistakeable joy. "Raphaell!" she called suddenly, jumping up and running towards him. He hadn't seen her straight away, but when he heard her voice, he looked straight at her. "Maria!" he said, dropping to his knees and catching the girl in a hug.   
  
Jack and Isabelle exchanged identical bewildered glances, but neither said anything as the return of the crew shook things up. Ranger and the girl were ushered under the deck by Will (Sr.), and the ship set sail immediately; the crew could hardly wait until they were far enough out to sea to relax and talk about their accumulated swag.  
  
Jack headed towards the cook's quarters, and pointed to the bed. "It ain't much, but it's a sight better than the crew's quarters. An' once I find out *how* we came to have *another* girl on board, I've a few questions for ye, savvy?" At Ranger's nod, Jack sighed and headed back to the deck, collecting Will (Sr.) at the door. "Gibbs is gonna *love* this," he mumbled to himself. Will didn't say anything, just let him mumble to himself in peace. Besides, it wasn't as though Jack's actions were unusual!  
  
Louisa sat in the crow's nest, scratching absently at the tattoo on her wrist. It was still painful, but she held back the tears that stung her eyes. If she didn't think about the pain, then it didn't exist. But it hurt *so* much. A thud sounded on the bottom of the crow's nest, and Jamie's face appeared over the edge. "Is there room for me?" he asked, and Louisa smiled, "Of course. There's plenty of room, you should know that, ye fool!" Jamie climbed in awkwardly with one hand, as he held a plate of food in the other.   
  
"I brought you some dinner - Nine-cat said ye hadn't eaten," he added, and Louisa nodded, reminding herself to give her brother a sharp kick when she saw him next. "Thanks, but I'm not really that hungry," she said, watching as Jamie sat down across from her, setting the plate of food between them. For a time, neither spoke, until Jamie finally broke the silence, "Ye know, Ma'ma says talkin' is the best cure when your upset or worried 'bout something," he hinted, and Louisa managed a half-smile.   
  
Jamie was persistent, "P'raps it works," he added, moving around so he was sitting beside her. "Ye can tell me anything, Cannonfire. I ain't some scurvy pirate intent on stealing from ye!" Louisa looked up at her friend, and felt something move inside her. "Why do ye do that?" she asked fianlly, tearing her gaze from his eyes. His eyes... they were such a deep brown Louisa felt as though she could lose herself in them forever. "Do what?" he asked quietly, noticing her gaze drop. Louisa rolled her eyes, "Call me by my nickname. I don't think ye've ever called me Louisa," she finished, and Jamie laughed, "I don't know. Honestly, I've ne'er even noticed before."  
  
Louisa let herself look into his eyes again. They were hypnotyzing. It was a while again before either spoke; this time Louisa broke the silence. "D'ye think... I mean, would... d'ye think I'm marked, cheapened, now I've this tattoo?" she asked, turning her hand so her wrist was exposed. It was red raw, and looked to be infected, unlike it had at the auction. "What's happened to it?" Jamie asked, his voice holding nothing but concern. Inside, he felt a ball of anger building, growing so fast it was all he could take to not let it appear in his voice.   
  
"It wasn't tattooed until just before you came to 'claim' me; at the auction, it was only ink, but they said all the girls who were sold had to have it permanent," Louisa said, but it came out barely louder than a whisper. Jamie said nothing, but let his hand find hers, linking their fingers together. Louisa felt the tear slide down her cheek, but tried to keep the others back. She couldn't cry - she was the daughter of a pirate, raised on the sea! She'd seen a lot worse, had had a lot worse happen to her! "I told them that I knew the look of some people, that you wouldn't like me to be marked, but they didn't listen. They didn't listen," she broke off, her voice choked with sobs.   
  
Once the tears started, she couldn't stop them; she let go of Jamie's hand, and instead hugged him, resting her head on his shoulder. The ball of fury began to disaperate, leaving only a feeling in the pit of his stomach that he'd never felt before. It was a deep feeling, one which felt like a combination of lust, desire, need, and caring. He wasn't entirely sure of what it was, but, he decided, it didn't appear to be harmful, so he let it be, and didn't give it a second thought. Whilever it made him feel so warm, so content, it was nothing to worry about.   
  
All through the night, Louisa cried, until exhausted she fell asleep with her head on Jamie's lap. Isabelle climbed up with a blanket, which she handed to her brother without a word. Underneath the crow's nest, on the deck, the crew partied through the night, oblivious to anything else there was on offer. No one had heard Louisa's sobs, and for that Jamie was glad. No one else knew, and that was how it was going to stay.  
  
*****  
  
A/N: I apologize for not updating befoer now, but i'm stuck in a camping ground where there's not even any mobile phone signal, and have had to resort ot pen and paper to keep writing! Anyway, I've decided to give you 2 chapters for a while, I'm still working on Chapter 30, and I hope you like them. Any comments, suggestions, whatever, there's a little thing called a review button in the corner down there, so please use it! 


	30. Chapter 30: Explanations

Chapter 30: Explanations  
  
Maria, the girl in Isabelle's possession, wasn't as timid as she'd been at the start. She was full of spirit, faster than a bolt of lightning, and became fast friends with the cabin boy. Ranger, or Raphaell (as was his real name, though Jack seemed to prefer wall) and Jack hadn't had their talk, so it was no surprise when Jack called him aside from the rest of the crew.  
  
"What is it about ye?" he asked without preamble. Ranger looked confused, "pardon, Cap'n?" he asked, and Jack sighed. "Ye ain't someone I've met afore, but I know yer face. Young Will knew ye too – why?" Ranger shrugged. "I don't know Cap'n. P'rap's ye've met someone who looks like me?" he suggested, and Jack nodded absently. He was about to say something, but changed his words abruptly. "Who was ye father, Ranger?" Ranger looked away, "I don't know who my father was, but my mother's father was Lieutenant Andrew Cole of the Navy, an' it turned out that his father was Cap'n Grey of the Spanish Rose, if that's any help t' ye."  
  
Jack laughed suddenly, "*That's* how I know yer face! I tell ye, Grey nearly killed Young Will, an' fair near talked my ear off!" Ranger looked as though he thought Jack'd gone completely loony. "Grey's dead," he stated levelly. "How can ye've met him if he died years ago?" Jack noticed Ranger's expression and laughed again, "He's a very stubborn guy – he's a ghost who tries to stop people going after his treasure by throwing them overboard an' tellin' ye someone will die an' whatnot." Ranger looked even more perplexed, if that was possible. Jack shook his head, "Ye'll get t' see a lot of things if ye stay wi' the Pearl for a while. But I have one last question for ye – what the hell has Maria got t' do wi' ye?"  
  
Ranger sighed. "She's my sister, half sister if ye will – Ma died jus' after Maria was born an' I took care of her since. Until I got into bad company, rung up some debts, an' Morgan took Maria. If I get a chance, that bilge-sucking dog will be shot, right between th' eyes." Jack grinned, "Aye, ye'll do Ranger. Ye'll do, for now!"  
  
The next few days were fairly uneventful, for a pirate ship. No ships passed within sight, and all signs of land had been left far behind. Jamie and Louisa became even closer after their night in the crow's nest, though no one believed that nothing had happened between them. Even Isabelle thought the two were together, in the strictest sense of the phrase. They spent the first day denying everything, then decided, by unspoken agreement, to ignore the crew and let them believe what they wanted, which they probably would've anyway.   
  
Jack and Will (Sr.) heard the rumours circulating, all of them, but said nothing. Well, nothing in front of the crew. Will took his daughter aside for a talk. "What are you doing?" he asked as soon as his cabin door was closed. Louisa looked confused, "What do you mean?" she asked, but the look on her father's face answered her question before he spoke. "With Jamie. I'd have thought ye'd be a bit smarter than that." He barely kept his voice to a normal speaking tone.   
  
Louisa was almost insulted. "I'm nineteen, Da! Mother was married at my age!" she retorted, crossing her arms. Will looked just as much, if not more, furious. "You're not your mother, Louisa, nor has your mother's and my relationship got anything to do with this conversation!" Louisa held her ground, and tried to keep her temper in check. "It has everything to do with it! Mother was a noblewoman, you a blacksmith-cum-pirate, and you married. Jamie's a pirate, I'm a pirate, and as I'm not planning to get married jus' yet, whatever we do is none of your concern!"  
  
Will looked as though he'd been slapped. "You are *not* a pirate!" he practically yelled; Louisa glared at him, unable to stop her anger building, she replied "I'm not? What am I then? A noble? A servant? I was sold as one, remember?" Will sighed. "That's not what I meant. You're my daughter Louisa, and I don't want to see you hurt. I've hurt your mother by just being who I am, an' if ye stay with Jamie, the same will happen to you." Their arguments were always short, and Will knew Louisa's temper could last for hours. Instead of yelling, as she felt like doing, Louisa sat down on the edge of the desk. "I know a lot more about life than what Ma'ma did when she married you, Da. I know what pirates are like, and I know how to handle myself. And, just for the record, there's nothing between Jamie and I except friendship."  
  
Will snorted, "And clothes, I hope." Louisa grinned, "Aye, Da, there's clothes, about four layers, and that's just me!" she answered. Will shook his head, "You're my only daughter, Louisa. I just want what's best for ye," he said, moving so he was standing in front of her. "I know, Da," she said and stood to hug her father. "I may be your only daughter, but I, uh, I know Will isn't your only son," she admitted, and Will pulled back to look her in the eye. She refused to drop her gaze, however much she was tempted to. "I know about the cabin boy, Da."   
  
Will wasn't sure if he should be embarrassed or glad that his daughter knew. And, logically speaking, if she knew, then her twin knew as well. Besides, it wasn't as though the entire crew didn't have a similar idea.   
  
Neither said anymore after that, and Louisa left the cabin calmly, before heading towards the crow's nest. "I'm replacin' ye," she told the pirate there. He didn't argue, and left without a word. It was the most calming job on the ship, and on the plus side, no one dared to argue with the children of the captains.   
  
Below, on the deck, Jack stood in his usual position at the helm, and Jamie sat behind him on the stairs. No one was close enough to overhear them, a fact Jamie wasn't sure he liked a great deal. "We didn't do anything," he stated after a momentary silence. Jack didn't respond, so Jamie tried again. "It's not a crime to like someone," he complained.   
  
Jack didn't turn around when he answered, "It could be when it's Bootstrap's daughter you like." He glanced over his shoulder and casually added, "Ye do know he keelhauled a woman for hurting Elizabeth?" Jamie swalloed before answering, "Aye, well, I heard the rumours afore we left." Jack laughed, "Tread carefully, Jamie-boy, or ye could find yeself treading water."  
  
They went back to sitting in silence, but this was more comfortable, until Jack suddenly swore and grabbed his arm. "Blast ye, Bella! Must ye be so careless?" he asked thin air, watching as Isabelle untangled herself from the pile of ropes she'd fallen over. Jack rubbed his arm, where the pain had hit suddenly, and watched as the base of his palm turned red. "She'll kill herself one day, an' take you with her," joked Jamie from the stairs. Jack gave a half-laugh, still watching Isabelle. "Aye, she might at that, if she doesn't kill me with what she likes for fun."  
  
Knowing his father was talking about the Triangle, Jamie changed his tone. "Why is it that we ne'er liked the Triangle, but she loves it more'n anything – 'cept you maybe?" he asked, and Jack sighed. "She was born there, Jamie-boy. We all feel a connection to the place we were born, where we spent the first few months of our lives." Jamie contemplated what his father told him, before replying, "I was born on land, but the sea is where I belong." Jack smiled to himself, "Aye, but ye have the ability to survive on land, to leave the sea forever. I don't – I was born on a ship, an' I've lived on one all my life, 'cept for a few brief stints here an' there," he answered, turning to look back at his son.   
  
"Tell me, Jamie-boy; if you an' Louisa were to marry, an' she wanted ye t' choose between her an' the sea, would ye be able to?" Jamie thought about it, before answering honestly, "I don't know." Jack laughed, "Aye, I didn't want to have t' make that choice, so I ne'er married your mother," he admitted, causing Jamie to laugh. He left his seat on the stairs, and stood next to his father. "Do us all a favour, Da – marry her next chance ye get – she won't make ye choose; she knows where your loyalties lie!" he said, slapping his father on the shoulder as he stepped down and headed to where Isabelle was wrapping a bandage around her bleeding palm.  
  
*****  
  
A/N: Sorry for the delay, but I have actually written up to chapter 34, but it's all in longhand, and it's taking me ages to type them up! And I've changed my ending slightly, just to please a few of you who want several of the characters to get together (I don't mean all together, but in separate pairings! Sorry – late night last night!) 


	31. Chapter 31: The crow's nest

A/N: I'm sorry the chapter's have been so short, but as I handwrote them, it looked a lot longer on paper than it actually is on screen! Anyway, as I've already said, I've written up to chapter 34, so once I've gotten them typed and posted, I'll go back to posting the longer chapters, though how much there is left of this story is still to be determined! I've got a few surprises up my sleeve, which I hope don't turn out to be to clichéd, and I've done a bit of rearranging to change the ending a bit. I've got another shorter note at the end, so I don't give away the end of this chapter before you know what I was talking about. I'm rambling - on with the story!  
  
Chapter 31: The crow's nest  
  
The days seemed to merge into one. Louisa was able to rid herself fof the corset, and she and Isabelle altered the dress so she could wear it loosely. Jamie thought she looked a lot better than she had directly after they'd brought her back to the ship, but after seeing her rubbing the tattoo when she thought no one was watching, he knew there were still some underlying demons she had to face.   
  
Louisa wasn't the only one with demons, though; Jack stood at the stern of the ship, looking down at the water. In his left hand, he held a rum bottle. In his right, the ink-stained gold sphere that was the map. Glancing behind him, he double checked that the documents he'd just printed hadn't blown away.   
  
It had been fairly easy to obtain a paper copy of the sphere - he'd covered it lightly with ink and rolled it over a large piece of oilskin mapping paper. The sphere was as much a temptation as the treasure itself it glinted in the dark, as though it were studded with diamonds, sending a multi-coloured pattern dancing around the wall behind him. "Damn ye, Grey," he said to himself, taking another swig from the bottle. "If I weren't such a pull in fer adventure, I'd throw the damn thing back to the sea where it belongs."  
  
Footsteps sounded on the deck behind him, but Jack didn't turn around. He already knew who it was; Isabelle leaned on the railing next to her father, the bandage still around her hand. "Ye'll hurt yeself if ye think too much," she said, earning a laugh from Jack. "Aye, but ye'd feel it too, an' know t' come an' save me," he joked, straightening, and placing the sphere on top of the papers.   
  
Isabelle didn't say anything for a while; she stood looking out over the ocean, where the full moon seemed to be creating the small waves that lapped the side of the ship. "In the Triangle, I always wondered what the ocean looked like out here," she whispered, "You, an' Ma'ma used to tell us about it ev'ry night - ye made it sound so wonderful, so free. I know why ye missed it so much."  
  
Jack leaned on the railing again, handing the bottle to his daughter as he answered, "Aye, we missed it, though I don't think your mother missed the ocean so much as she missed the people here," he paused, and Isabelle handed his bottle back. "I know you're still connected to it, Bella, but ye can break it if ye stay here long enough." Isabelle looked at her hands, but couldn't focus on anything. When she looked up, she saw Jack had moved and was lowering a rope ladder. "What..." she begand, but Jack put a finger to his lips to silence her.   
  
"Ye know, Bella, a night like this shouldn't be wasted on the Triangle," he said quietly, walking towards her until he had her backed up against the very edge of the railing. "What do ye mean?" she asked cautiously. Jack merely grinned. Isabelle knew better than to trust her father when he seemed too happy, and her suspicions paid true when she found herself falling through the air to land with a splash in the water. Jack jumped in soon after; before long, their conversation was all but forgotten.   
  
In the crow's nest, Louisa and Jamie watched the exchange, and couldn't stop laughing when Jack pushed Isabelle into the water. Had the father-daughter team been more aware, they'd have heard the laughter, but they were too busy having fun.   
  
"You're up here more then ye are on the deck, Cannonfire," Jamie stated when they stopped watching the fun below. Louisa looked away, "I can't help it; I feel safer up here, than what I do on the deck. I can see if a ship comes close," she admitted. Jamie merely smiled, and pulled Louisa into a hug. "Ye won't come to any harm when I'm around, I promise ye that," he said quietly. Louisa tensed slightly, "I don't need looking after, Jamie. I can take care of myself," she argued.   
  
Jamie sighed, "I don't mean I'll take care of ye in the literal sense," he explained, "But I won't let Da gi'e ye away as a hostage again. Am I allowed to do *that*?" Louisa relaxed again, "Aye, Jamie, ye can do that."  
  
When they pulled apart from their hug, they didn't step apart. They were so close, barely an inch apart, and even that small distance seemed to grow smaller. "Jamie, I..." started Louisa, her voice shaking silently. Jamie silenced her by placing a finger on her lips. It did more than take her breath away - it send bolts of lightning to her fingertips, turned her legs to water. Jamie said nothing; he let his left arm drop so it circled her back, and moved his right arm to cup the side of her face.   
  
The space between them was barely existent, and all it would take was for the ship to move slightly for that space to disappear. As though guided by some unseen force, Jamie bent his head and brushed his lips across Louisa's. It was slow, teasing, taunting, tempting, and it lasted only moments. They barely broke contact, didn't take their eyes off one another, before they were pulled (so it seemed) together again. There was nothing soft about their second kiss. All the electricity and attraction that had been between them since the fist day on the beach at Port Royal found an outlet, leaving both feeling exhausted when they pulled apart.   
  
Louisa felt her heart skip a beat, and continue to race as though she'd run a marathon. She let her head rest against Jamie's chest, as he pulled her as close as physically possible, and found his heart the same. She didn't have the energy to talk, to think, to move; at that moment, there was noting wrong in the world, nor could anything go wrong. It wasn't until the sky started to lighten with the oncoming dawn that a thought forced it's way into her mind - what was going to happen now?  
  
*****  
  
A/N: Ok, I can tell you all now. I was originally intending for Jamie and Louisa to get together in the second last chapter (which is actually split into three parts now because it's so long. I've been advised to post them one day apart!), but as a few of you have indicated, you didn't want to wait that long. Don't worry - I'm just as impatient! So, I complied to reader requests, changed the ending slightly, and have now got to figure out something - how long do I keep their relationship a secret from Isabelle and Will? I've already figured how Jack (and possibly Will Sr) find out, but what about their friends?? I'm stuck here, so I'd really appreciate any advice, or help, or whatever you want to call it, from you guys! Thanks in advance! 


	32. Chapter 32: Practical Jokes

Chapter 32: Practical Jokes  
  
Isabelle was in bed when the door to the cabin opened with a creak, but she wasn't asleep. She watched in the semi-darkness as Louisa prepared for bed, and it was then that she sat up. "You're back," she stated, and Louisa jumped.   
  
"I was... I mean... I didn't..." she faltered, and Isabelle smiled. "Don't worry yeself. I know what ye've been doing every night," she said, and Louisa froze. "Ye do? How... how d'ye know?" she managed. Isabelle climbed out of her bed and looked her friend in the eye. "Ye've been going out everynight, an' comin' back just afore sunrise e'er since we got ye back to the ship! Ye *have* t' stop bein' so scared - no one on this ship will let any of us be taken!"  
  
Louisa sighed in relief, but Isabelle mistook it for a defeat, of sorts, until Louisa answered, "Ye don't know *what* I do, Isabelle, an' while ever it helps *me* get through the night, let me be, savvy?" the last part came out harsher than she'd intended, and she could see the hurt expression on Isabelle's face, but there was nothing she could say, or do, to repair the damage.   
  
Isabelle turned away from Louisa and climbed back into bed without saying anything. Louisa did the same, but she lay awake, staring into thin air. Isabelle didn't know what she was talking about, she decided finally, before letting the clutches of sleep overcome her for the last few hours before the sun called all to be on deck.  
  
It had been two weeks since the night in the crow's nest, and that was still the meeting place for the two. But that was a comforting place - to pass the time during the rest of the day, they'd started playing practical jokes on people, especially Jack. For instance, they found an age-old battle scar on the inside of the ship, livened it up with a firecracker, and left it for someone to find. Needless to say, he panicked! "Ye bloody fools! Ye don't leave dynamite in the open on *my* ship!" he'd yelled, throwing a bucket of water of the firecracker which more than likely did more damage than the firecracker itself.  
  
Jamie and Louisa hadn't been able to stop laughing, which (of course) let Jack know who'd been behind the trick. The next joke they played was on Maty, the usual pirate in the crow's nest. Borrowing the spyglass, Louisa dabbed the tiniest speck of whitewash on the lens. When Maty put up the spyglass, he thought he saw the white sails of a ship on the horizon, and this called it down. Again, Louisa and Jamie had started laughing, disguising it as a joke between them when Jack sent a suspicious glance in their direction. He had reason for his suspicions - the day before, they'd glued one of his boots to the deck (when he was wearing it, mind!). He called for the spare glass, and climbed the crow's nest himself.  
  
There was nothing on the horizon, in any direction, and Jack had his suspicions confirmed when, upon closer inspection, he found the speck of whitewash. Swinging back onto the deck, he headed straight for Jamie and Louisa. "What d'ye have planned next?" he asked Jamie as though it was the most normal question for a captain to be asking his son. Louisa had to stop herself from laughing. Jamie found he couldn't open his mouth for fear of laughing in his father's face, so Louisa answered as calmly as she could, "I don't know what ye're talking about, Cap'n." Jack wasn't convinced, "Sure ye don't, an' I'm a bloody mermaid!" he retorted, but neither would budge from their argument. Jack left, muttering under his breath about not understanding teenagers.  
  
After a momentary meeting, Jamie and Louisa decided to leave it for a few days before they played their next prank. It didn't really matter that much, though, because everyone was on the lookout. The day before the ship was set to stop at a port to restock and take a break for a day or two, they planned their next prank, and this time, it was the cabin boy's turn.  
  
"Ye do realise we're standing in his room," Louisa laughed as the two stood in the entrance to the main closet, which opened up onto Jack's storeroom. Jamie nodded, and opened the Hessian bag he held, "Aye, an' I'm glad o' that!" The bag moved, and Jamie glanced inside. Louisa looked at his coyly, "It *is* early, ye know..." she whispered, and indeed it was. Only the cook, the cabin boy, and the two captain's were awake, besides them. Jamie raised his eyebrows with a grin, "Oh, aye? An' what d'ye suggest we *do* so early?" he asked.   
  
Louisa grabbed the bottom of the Hessian bag and upended the contents into the blankets the cabin boy called a bed. The harmless python slithered into a more comfortable spot, annoyed at being treated so indignantly, while Louisa looped her arms around Jamie's neck, stretching up onto tiptoe to be more his height. Jamie rested his hands on her sides, pulling her closer. "This is something better to do, early, aye?" she asked, and he grinned. "Much better, Cannonfire," he agreed, and closed the distance between them.   
  
They weren't so completely wrapped up in the moment that they didn't hear the footsteps sounding from towards the galley. Jamie pushed Louisa gently into the closet, and pulled the door shut, just as Jack and Will (Sr.) turned the corner at the top of the stairs. Inside the closet, there was enough space as long as they stood as close together as possible; they could hear the conversation outside the door clearly. "Damned if I know where that blasted snake's disappeared to," came Jack's voice. "I wouldn't put it past Ranger t' have killed it, ye know. Ye should'a told him it was there!" came Will's reply, and at this, the two in hiding had to stop from laughing.  
  
When the two captains had passed, and their footsteps led towards the deck, Jamie and Louisa made their appearance. "How long have ye had that snake for?" Louisa asked, and Jamie grinned, "'bout two days. I've been feeding it wi' a rat whenever I could catch one. I figured we'd be able to think of somethin' t' do with it!"  
  
Hearing footsteps coming in from the deck, Jamie snatched a hasty good-bye kiss, and the two fled around the corner and into their own rooms (well, Jamie slipped back down to the crew's quarters), just before Jack turned the corner. He knew something was amiss on his ship, but he wasn't completely sure what. He stood in the hallway for a minute, before turning to see the closet door slightly ajar; he pulled the door open as though he'd expected to find a stowaway, but found nothing except an empty Hessian bag. He picked it up, and stared at it, wondering why the cabin boy would have a Hessian bag; shrugging, he folded it in half twice, placed it on a shelf, and closed the door tightly.  
  
That day brought more excitement to the ship then there'd been for a long time. The merchant and fishing ships of the local port came into view, sending a wave of excitement through the crew. Each man onboard loved the sea, but (unlike Jack) they did prefer to have a bit of land-time occasionally. Louisa almost forgot about the snake, until that evening. The crew was having one of the usual pre-landing parties, when they were startled by a blood-curdling scream from the hallway.  
  
At first, everyone thought Isabelle or Louisa were in trouble, but when they noticed that they were standing talking to Jamie and Will (Jr.) on the deck, it was obvious that it wasn't either of them. Jack saw the looks Louisa and Jamie exchanged, though, and something clicked. He headed straight for the closet and found the cabin boy calming himself down, glaring at the large python that lay curled up in the blankets.  
  
The snake was harmless, kept in the galley to rid the ship of the constant stream of rats and mice that loved to come aboard. Jack picked it up by the tail, and took it back down to the galley. On his return, he found the crew gathered around the cabin boy, who was telling how he'd been attacked by a snake. It *was* a good story, but since very few knew the snake was onboard, very few believed him.  
  
Jamie and Louisa listened to the boy's story with grins on their faces; Jack caught his son's eye, and look passed between them that caused both to start laughing. Sometimes, jokes were a way to liven the mood of a ship; besides, one thing was certain - the cabin boy would think twice before sleeping in the closet again! 


	33. Chapter 33: Alone on board

Chapter 33: Alone on Board  
  
Port Georgia, as it was called, reminded Will (Sr.) of Port Royal, though without the pompousness. Jack had declined to leave the ship, as had Jamie and Louisa. Ranger, and Gibbs also decided to stay, though no one knew for what reason. Maria had gone with Isabelle and Will (Jr.) as an escort/supervisor (according to Jack). It left time for Jack and Ranger to do some more talking, to let rise some answers to questions neither seemed game enough to bring up.  
  
"Ye were the one who shot that big guy," stated Jack. Ranger didn't bother to deny, or excuse it, "I wasn't sure if ye'd seen my face - especially after ye didn't seem t' recognise me when ye broke down th' wall." Jack shook his head, "I knew ye, but the way I figured, I'd already promised t' get ye out, an' since ye hadn't shot *me*, ye couldn't have been all bad. But why did ye shoot him? It wasn't your fight."  
  
Ranger didn't banter, he cut straight to the chase and answered, "He took Maria, on behalf o' Morgan, after I saved his life." Jack nodded, "Aye, fair 'nough. But what will ye do if I tell ye Maria can't stay on th' Pearl for the whole journey?" Ranger glanced at Jack, suspicion brewing, "I'd want t' know why, an' I'd want t' know what would be done abou' her." Jack's opinion of the pirate rose several notches. "I've arranged a safe passage to our... well, Bootstrap's... Port base. She'll be quite safe along th' way, an' she'll be well taken care of once she gets there, that much I can promise ye. If ye feel ye must go with her, then you're free t' leave, but ye won't get t' the base, an' ye won't have Maria under my protection, savvy?"  
  
Ranger didn't have to think about it for too long before he made up his mind. "So long as I have your oath that no harm will come t' her, then send her. But if any harm comes to her, then I will not be responsible for my actions against ye, Cap'n." Jack grinned, "I wouldn't have it any other way, Ranger. 'Sides, I don't intend t' let any harm come t' her. I'va half a mind t' arrange passage for Bella an' Louisa, too," he added, mostly to himself. Ranger didn't change his gaze, "Why don' ye, then?" he asked, causing Jack to laugh. "Knowin' what I do about them, they'd be more likely t' swim after us than do as they're meant an' stay behind!"  
  
*****  
  
Jamie and Louisa hadn't, as was their usual fashion, retreated to the crow's nest, choosing instead the cabin shared by Louisa and Isabelle. They could hear if anyone knocked on the side of the ship, the signal for the ladder to be lowered, and Jamie was sure that his father knew enough of Louisa's sleepless nights to leave them be. Jamie knew the only sleep Louisa had been having was when she fell asleep in the crow's nest with him every night. And besides, the door was locked from the inside to stop anyone getting in.   
  
Louisa had enough of her mother's stubborn streak to protest at 'being protected', but she did admit that it was easier to sleep when Jamie was with her. At that moment, Louisa was asleep, curled against Jamie, her arm slung across his chest. To the casual observer (which, of course, neither wanted!) it would appear she was relaxed, but Jamie knew better - she held onto him so tightly that her knuckles were almost white, and her arm was so tense that she had goosebumps.   
  
Occassionally she would mutter something, but Jamie was so close to sleep himself, he didn't catch what she said, and by the time he was alert, he had to think back and remember if she'd even said anything at all. Louisa wasn't the only one who needed sleep - Jamie had had even less than her during the course of the past few weeks, and he suspected he'd have just as little during the weeks to come, unless Louisa faced the fear that was gripping her. Settling himself back down, he drifted into his usual half-slumber, keeping an ear open for the arrival of the crew.   
  
Isabelle couldn't help but worry about Louisa. Once she'd known for certain about Louisa's night walks, she'd told Jamie because she'd known Will (Jr.) would worry too much, but it hurt to hold such a secret against her friend. Leaving her brother and Louisa on the Pearl together was a way of ensuring that Louisa would get some of the sleep she needed, but Will had taken a lot of convincing. "She may be your sister, Will, but ye can't treat her like a baby all her life, an' yours. 'Sides, ye know she trusts Jamie as much as she does you, but she doesn't need family treating her like an invalid at the moment," she'd said gently, pushing him towards a boat.   
  
Severly affronted, he'd complained, "I don't care who she trusts, she's my *sister* Isabelle! Would Jamie voluntarily leave *you* with *me*? Especially if he thought..." Isabelle silenced him with a laugh, "I didn't say ye'd be leavin' her *voluntarily*, ye blazon fool! I'm the one insistin' here, am I not?" Pausing, she and Maria maneuvered Will into the long boat (Maria hit him over the head with a broken oar!). "And as for Jamie leaving me anywhere - I stay, an' he doesn't have a choice in the matter!"  
  
By the time Will had recovered his senses, the three were already heading towards the shore. By the time they reached it, the two girls had managed to get Will to row, but he couldn't for the life of him think how.   
  
The port was nice enough, about the same as Port Royal, but without so much of the hustle and bustle. The main street boasted heavily packed dirt roads, food stalls, permanent horse rails and troughs, not to mention a strong, well-built blacksmithery, complete with barrels of alcohol out the front. To top it off, a natural river ran parallel to the ocean on the other side of the town, and was a haven for paddle steamers, wood floats, and smaller, personal boats. There was more activity on the riverside than the ocean.   
  
Maria loved the place, as did Isabelle, and Will found it all he could do to keep up with the two girls as they ran from place to place. When they ran into the senior Will, the younger found a chance to have a rest. "Been behavin'?" asked Will (Sr.), and although the question was aimed at Isabelle, it was his son who answered, "No use askin' her, Da; she's been behavin' worse than Maria!" Isabelle punched him in the arm lightly, before asking, "Where's Da? Didn't he come over?" Will (Sr.) shook his head. "He stayed on board, an' all but threatened t' kill me if I were t' stay too. Actually, come t' think of it, he *did* threaten me!"  
  
When the three left the captain to himself, Isabelle turned to Will with a laugh, "Y' see? Da's on the ship, so what could they get away with?" Will raised his eyebrows, "Knowin' that my sister's there with nary more than ye brother an' father doesn't gi'e me much courage, Isabelle. Jack would probably turn a blind eye t' anything Jamie'd do." Isabelle stayed silent for a moment, before answering with a grin, "Aye, he probably would!" Needless to say, Will wasn't impressed. 


	34. Chapter 34: Before the t' do

Chapter 34: Before the "t' do"  
  
A sharp knock sounded on the door, causing Jamie's eyes to snap guiltily open. He hadn't even realized he'd been asleep. The knock sounded again, and it finally clicked that the door was still locked; Jack's voice drifted through. "Ye plannin' on stayin' 'ere for long?" Jamie called back, "What's happening?" A muffled laugh sounded, and Jack answered, "Will an' Bella have decided t' crash a noble party, an' were wonderin' if ye would care t' join 'em." Jamie glanced at Louisa, who was starting to wake up; "We might," he asnswered.  
  
Once he heard his father's footsteps leave the front of the door, he woke Louisa completely. "Ye can let me go for a while, ye know, 'less of course you want *your* father t' wake us up?" Louisa sat up, and looked around. She didn't see anything amiss, but glanced at Jamie suspiciously, "What's going on? Who's waking us up?" Jamie laughed, earning a glare from Louisa in the process. "Nothin' like that," he assured her, "We've been invited t' a royal do by Isabelle an' Nine-cat - interested?" Louisa couldn't help a smile at the expression on Jamie's face, "Aye; it'll probably be the last chance t' have a little fun afore we leave anyway."  
  
Isabelle and Will weren't actually back on the ship, and how Jack knew about the party was anyone's guess. The three explorers arrived back on the ship just as Louisa and Jamie emerged on the deck. The plan they concocted suited all of them, and it kept Isabelle and Will from asking what Jamie and Louisa had done on board. Only for a while, though.  
  
Will helped Louisa with her corset, giving him time to question his sister when she didn't have the breath to argue. "Why was it so important t' stay 'ere with *him*?" he asked, not needing to mention any names. The two 'boys' may have become friends, but they were still both protective of their sisters. "It wasn't important, Will; it just gave me a chance to get some sleep." Will responded by jerking the strings tighter, "That doesn't make it sound any better, Cannonfire. Ye can't sleep when Isabelle's around, ye can't sleep when me, or Da is around, and ye can only sleep when Jamie's wi' ye... ye've got me fair confused, dear sister."  
  
Louisa braced herself as the strings tightened, then answered, "Ye think *you're* confused! I can't figure out what's wrong wi' me!" Will grinned, "Ye're getting' ye temper back - is this corset to loose for ye?" Louisa turned and glared at her brother, "Don't you dare, William Turner! It is tight enough, I'll thank ye, an' if ye touch it again, ye'll be leavin' wi' a chair around ye neck!" Will laughed, "I ain't that cruel, Louisa." Louisa watched him leave the room, before muttering darkly, "Beg to differ, dear brother."  
  
Jamie wasn't as tough on Isabelle as Will was on Louisa, but he knew how to get her riled up. "You an' Nine-cat, eh? When's the weddin'? he grinned, and Isabelle resisted the urge to kick him. Hard. "Well, it don't really matter to ye, 'cause ye won't be receivin' an invitation," she answered with a sickly sweet tone. Jamie laughed, "Don't fret, I was only askin'! Anyhow, how'd ye manage t' find out abou' this t' do wi' the high an' mighties?"   
  
Isabelle briefly entertained the idea of stringing him along, but knew that she didn't have the patience for it, and that she'd end up frustrated, while he was as calm as ever. "I ran into one of the men who was at the auction, an' he remembered me. He asked if I still had my purchase, meanin' Maria, and if you still had yours, meanin' Louisa. I said yes to both, an' he asked me t' come t' the party tonight if I had the time, an' t' bring my purchases along. I told him Maria would be stayin' in the hold of the ship, as she was prone t' attmeptin' to escape, but that I would gladly bring along Louisa. I canna refuse an invitation so grand as that, Jamie - it's just not done!" she laughed, seeing Jamie's face expression.   
  
Later, Jamie and Will saw the two girls ready to go. How Isabelle had managed to tame her hair was beyond Jamie, but she had, and it didn't look to bad. All in all, it was a tidy version of Jack's - her hair was out, and it was braided with beads in several different places. Her usual bandana had been replaced with a white silk scarf.   
  
Louisa, on the other hand, had gone a step further. Her had was much the same as Isabelle's, but she'd been careful where to braid her hair, making it look as though bits and pieces were braided, where they weren't. Her hair being out, though, seemed a little wrong to Jamie, and before they left the ship, he made a momentary stop at the crew's quarters.   
  
As the longboat they were in landed, Jamie pressed a small hair-piece into Louisa's hand. It was silver, and in the shape of a butterfly, with blue and green gems embedded into the wings. Grinning, Jamie spoke before Louisa could say anything, "Ye needed something else - the gloves take away too much from yer dress."  
  
"It's beautiful - thank-you, Jamie," she managed after a pause. He shrugged, "It was the least I could do for ye." Noticing that Will and Isabelle had their heads together talking, and were seemingly oblivious to anything else, Jamie stole a quick kiss from Louisa, took the clip, and deftly swept half of her hair up, using the clip to hold it in place. "How'd... how'd you do that?" she asked, and Jamie smiled, "I've had to do my mother's hair a lot, when Da didn't have the time."  
  
Isabelle and Louisa departed from the two guys company, and made their way towards the town hall, where the festivities were going to take place. Jamie and Will knew the plan, and they also knew they had enough time to have a bit of their own fun. They headed towards the tavern Will'd seen earlier, and suddenly found they weren't the only people who'd come to shore. Jack, Ranger, Gibbs, and Maria, were sitting at a table with another two men. Though he hadn't made any indication of knowing the two had entered the room, both Will and Jamie were sure Jack knew they were there. After ordering their drinks, they chose a table close by, and listened.  
  
"*Two* people, under the same agreement we made earlier, for the same price - agreed?" Jack's voice was low, but Jamie and Will had been taught how to eavesdrop. "Hang on a minute - we never said we'd take *two* - we're bein' cheated as it is!" The unfamiliar voice wasn't used to speaking low, and was easier to hear than Jack's. "Shall I remind ye, sir, that I've information that ye could find very interestin'?" The other replied indignantly, "Look, ye know how much I need that info, but I've got to earn a livin' too! 'Tis no good carryin' people, unless ye work in the navy."  
  
There was silence until Ranger spoke, "I'll throw in a bag extra, if only to shut you up. But if she doesn't get there safely, I'll have your head, savvy?" There was a sudden shuffling, and the two glanced up to see Ranger had grabbed one of the men by the neck. The man had said something, but the two hadn't caught it - whatever it was, it had to have been against Maria for Ranger to act so rashly. "Enough, Ranger. She'll get their safely, less they won't be paid. Ye're t' give this letter to the dark woman at the big house when ye get there, and it'll all follow on from there. An' there's no use tryin' t' read the letter, boys, 'cause ye won't understand it!"  
  
Maria spoke for the first time, timidly. "Do I go with these men now?" Ranger had calmed down a lot, because when he spoke, his voice held none of the anger it had moments before, "Yes, Ria. You an' mister Gibbs go with these men, an' then stay with Anamaria an' Elizabeth, ok?" Her reply was simple, "Ok. Then you'll come get me, an' we'll go to Ireland, an' live there forever." It sounded as though it were a promise years old, especially when Ranger answered, "Yes, Ria. That's what we'll do."  
  
Gibbs was the first to stand, and he shook Jack's hand with a grin, "It were nice sailin' wi' ye again, Cap'n. But this trip 'ome is the last adventure I'll be takin'. Give my regards t' the four, won't ye?" he asked meaning Jamie, Will, Louisa, and Isabelle, and Jack nodded. "That I will, Gibbs. Now, make sure ye tell Ana what I told ye, and tell Elizabeth the stowaways are perfectly fine and healthy."   
  
Gibbs and Jack said nothing, before the two strangers started to walk away. Gibbs and Maria followed, as soon as Maria had given Ranger a kiss goodbye. Ranger didn't say anything, and headed to the bar as soon as Maria had gone through the door. Jack walked to where Jamie and Will were sitting, and took a seat opposite. "Ye know, if ye eavesdrop like that again, ye'd be lucky not t' get yer heads punched in. Ye're too blatantly obvious!" Jamie glanced at Will, who shrugged, and looked back at his father. "Really? Or perhaps it was only because ye knew we'd be listenin'? Ye've got a guilty conscience, Da, whether ye like t' admit it or no."   
  
Jack grinned, and sat back in his seat. "The girls are at this t' do, so how's about we go an' have some fun afore we leave Georgia? I'm pretty sure there'll be a lot o' pretty ladies wi' a lot o' pretty purses...."   
  
Jack didn't have to say any more, as both Will and Jamie were on their feet, and Ranger was already heading out the door. Jack was up to something, and this time, Jamie was willing to see what fun would come out of it. 


	35. Chapter 35: It's Showtime!

Chapter 35: It's Showtime!  
  
The affair wasn't the biggest thing to hit the shores of Port Georgia, but it was certainly the grandest. Prince Edward, of the English Royal Family, was making a trip around the provinces of the English Empire, and Port Georgia was one of the last stops before they returned to England. Jack knew this, of course, and had decided he'd rather be damned (which he probably already was anyway) than miss a chance to perform before royalty.   
  
The four of them waited underneath the main window of the town hall until they saw where Isabelle and Louisa were in the room. Both girls played their parts well, as Isabelle posing as the rich young wife, and Louisa her brother's slave. Louisa remained two steps behind Isabelle at all times, unless Isabelle motioned for Louisa to walk with her.   
  
Footsteps sounded behind them, and Jack turned, sword drawn, to find the elder Will standing there. "What? You expected t' have fun without me? Ye've been away too long, Jack." Shrugging, Jack contemplated the idea, and grinned, "P'raps ye have a point. Join us, friend, an' watch your daughter act!"   
  
Inside, Louisa was getting frustrated. She had to do something! Isabelle wasn't faring any better, but she proved that she could remember Elizabeth's lessons on being a lady. When the doors opened, and the Prince arrived, an excitement passed through the room. Now, the fun was about to begin. Both girls knew that Will and Jamie weren't too far away, and they suspected that Jack, and possibly Ranger, would be with them.   
  
Edward walked around the room, receiving formal bows and curtsies from the others in the room, before stopping in front of Isabelle. Isabelle held back a smile as she curtsied politely, "Your Highness," she said courteously, and looked up to find Edward still smiling at her. "Your name?" he asked, and Isabelle found herself blushing. "Isabelle... Turner, Your Highness," she said, trying to keep eye contact; it was a hard thing to do, with the Prince being so commanding. "Would you care to dance, Ms. Turner?" he asked, and Isabelle nodded, "I would, Your Highness, though I must admit I am not a Miss, but a Missus, and would prefer that you call me Isabelle."   
  
Edward smiled like a cat who got the cream, and nodded, "Of course, Isabelle, so long as you stop calling me 'Your Highness', and call me Edward." Louisa glanced towards the window, not surprised to see her brother looking in with a murderous look on his face. Louisa raised her eyebrows at him, causing him to blush and disappear again.   
  
Outside, Will was furious. Jack, Ranger, and Will (Sr.) were involved in their own discussion, and paid no notice to Jamie and Will. "What is she doing?" Will asked Jamie, trying to keep his voice low. Jamie shrugged, a mischievous glint in his eye, "I don't know - perhaps she's gotten bored with you?" The look Will sent him proved what he'd suspected for a while - there was something between Isabelle and Will that no one had picked up on yet. "Jamie, if you continue along that train of thought, you won't have a goddamn brain left to think with," threatened Will, and Jamie laughed. "Don't worry - just tell me when the wedding is, and let me gatecrash. Isabelle told me I wasn't invited," he added, causing Will to shoot daggers at him with his eyes. "She told you?" he asked, and Jamie shook his head, "Nope, I guessed. And if you have a friend on the inside, things are a little easier to deal with. Does Dad know?"   
  
Will nodded, "Aye, he practically forced us together, truth be told. Your father plays the role of matchmaker very well." Jamie laughed, "Aye, he seems to enjoy it too! I just don't know what *your* father thinks of the whole thing!"  
  
Louisa knew what Will and Jamie were planning, because she'd listened in on the conversation, and so she stayed near the window where they were planning to make their entrance. She looked across the room to where Isabelle and Prince Edward were still dancing, and saw Isabelle slip his watch, and gold cufflinks into the small pocket concealed in her dress. In all consideration, Isabelle was a pickpocket, and able to charm her way into, and out of, situations faster than her father could draw a sword.   
  
Isabelle and Edward moved, and the figure that came into sight scared Louisa more than anything. Morgan. Seemingly frozen with fear, she found it all she could do to turn her head so she couldn't see him. Jamie was the one looking through the window this time, and she knew that he was worried by the look on his face, though he couldn't see Morgan anywhere in the room. Louisa looked up, and couldn't see him, and wondered if she was seeing things.   
  
Isabelle returned, having feigned a slight headache to stop dancing and get into position. She saw immediately that something was wrong, and glanced around the room. "What's wrong?" she asked, and Louisa managed, "Morgan... I think he's here...." Isabelle nodded towards the window when she saw Will's face, and turned her attention back to Louisa. "If he's here, he'll be taken care of. Jamie knows what he looks like, so does Will, and if either of them see him, he's as good as dead, ok?" Louisa looked at Isabelle and started laughing. "You're so much like your father, did you know that?"  
  
Before Isabelle had a chance to say anything in reply, the doors swung open with a burst of wind. Jack had friends somewhere, and they'd given him a storm for his last bit of fun. "Good evenin', ladies, gents, oh, and Your Highness. My name is Captain Jack Sparrow of the Black Pearl, and we're here for a small donation to keep us going!" laughed Jack, looking every bit the madman. Edward looked around the room, and saw Louisa and Isabelle were off to one side, by themselves. He started to cross the room towards them, but Jack saw and pointed it out to Will (Jr.) and Jamie.   
  
"I really don't think you'd better move, Your Highness, and especially not towards our sisters," stated Will as the two moved in between the Prince and the girls. Edward looked incredulous, "Sisters? You mean to tell me that you are all from the same family? Two of you are... dark." Jamie laughed, and looked at Will, "See? I told you the man would get confused." He looked at the Prince, and said, "No, we're not all from the same family, but you see, the *dark* girl you enjoyed dancing with is *my* sister, and the servant girl is *his* sister. And my sister, the pretty Mrs Isabelle Turner, is the wife of this young man. Now, sir, if you would like to rejoin you company, and leave us to our business, no one, especially you, will get hurt. There's no point in acting the hero now sir, considering your sleeves are not even fastened!"  
  
Noticing for the first time that he was missing both cufflinks, along with his watch, he looked towards Isabelle, who held up the three treasures with a grin. Fuming, he turned and walked back to his advisors. Jack had a sword in one hand, and a pistol at easy reach. That, along with the grin on his face, was enough to scare any person into giving up what they owned. Ranger and Will (Sr.) moved so they were either side of Jack, and Jamie and Will escorted the two girls out the back door. There, the two headed for the beach to wait for the others, even though Louisa wanted to return to the hall. "Something's wrong in there - we've got to go back!" Isabelle shook her head, "It's not part of the plan! If we go back, there's a chance that we'll miss them completely and they'll have to wait for us!" Louisa sat down on the edge of the longboat, and looked back up to the hall.  
  
Jack handed Jamie and Will a bag each, and the two circulated the hall, collecting watches, purses, cufflinks, and any jewellery the women had on. Each item that was put in the bag was met with a courteous 'thank you', and in the case of the younger women, a kiss on the hand. Will (Sr.) whispered to Jack, "Seems your son has your charm." Jack grinned.   
  
Jamie suddenly went flying; a large, heavy set man was standing over him, rubbing his fist, with a grin on his face. "'Ello Cap'n. Ye be the ones 'oo paid high price for my girl, did ya? Well, it weren't enough - I want her back!"  
  
Will (Jr.) helped Jamie up, drew swords, and faced the man. He wasn't so much tall - Will was taller by far - but he was a lot thicker, and obviously knew how to handle himself. "Don't bother yourselves with the swords, lads, it's the girl I want back. Her, an' the youngin'."  
  
Jack raised an eyebrow, and Will (Sr.) walked forwards. "That girl you're talking about happens to be my daughter, Morgan, and if you want her back, then you'll not only go through me and my son, but you'll go through half of the crew of the Black Pearl first, not to mention the second half later. Do I make myself clear?"   
  
Louisa wasn't happy, she was fretting, and Isabelle's cool demeanour made her feel less at ease. "They're not immortal, Isabelle! Something's going wrong, and I can't stay out here and wait for them to get here." Isabelle turned around, trying to ignore the fact that her friend was so upset. It wasn't as though she wasn't worried too, but Louisa had been hyped since she'd seen, or thought she'd seen, Morgan in the crowd. "I don't care what you say, Louisa, but until I feel as though Da's been hurt, I'm not leaving, and you're not either, if I have to tie you up and throw you in the ocean!"  
  
She was so intent on ignoring Louisa, and looking out at the ocean that she didn't see Louisa come up behind her with an oar. Swinging lightly, though with enough force to knock her brother out, Louisa hit Isabelle on the back of the head, and ran back up towards the town hall.   
  
Jack, loving the fact that the whole place had erupted in fighting, felt a sharp pain behind his eyes, and almost blacked out himself. "Isabelle, why do you have to be so damned accident prone?" he asked himself, rubbing his head. He knew she was alright, but would have a headache, and so he returned his attention to the battle at hand. Ranger had gone after Morgan, set on revenge, while Will (Sr.), Jamie, and Will (Jr.) had ended up amongst the throes of men trying to prove how heroic they were. Jack himself was trying to tell the Prince that he was obviously unsuited to his daughter.  
  
"You are a barbarian! You trap young women and use them as part of your plans? How do you live with yourself?" he asked, swinging a sword with surprising precision. Jack laughed, "The 'dark' girl, as you so politely put it, is my daughter, and to tell the truth, I wanted her to stay on the land, marry a gentleman, set me up for life, that sort of thing. She happened to stow away on my ship, along with the other one who is coincidentally my partner's daughter, and they've managed to get themselves into all sorts of trouble. Oh, and for the record, you're not her type!"  
  
The Prince seemed to take offence at Jack's words, which were of course the truth, and he swung again with anger, rather than skill. It was an easy blow to dodge, and Jack turned nimbly, bringing his own sword up and cutting the Prince's shirt open at the chest. "Don't mess with a pirate unless you know how to dance," Jack laughed, and the Prince turned red. Without saying anything, he brought his sword up and proceeded to try and remove Jack's ear from the side of his head. Jack moved so the sword flew past harmlessly, brought his own around and hit near the hilt so he successfully unarmed the Prince, and let his sword come to rest at the Prince's neck. "Like I said, *Your Highness*, my daughter is out of your reach. Go and marry a noblewoman who you can dress up and take places as a possession, and leave me and my matchmaking alone."  
  
Louisa reached the door out of breath. The corset didn't help when one was trying to get somewhere in a hurry. She bumped into Jack, who was holding the Prince at the end of his sword, and smiled nervously. He didn't say anything, just shook his head and threw her the pistol in his belt.   
  
Taking it with a shout of thanks, Louisa took off towards where she saw Ranger fighting Morgan. She was going to finish this, and put her demons to rest, if it killed her.   
  
Jamie saw Louisa heading towards the window, and Morgan, and began to push his way through the crowd. Ranger was bleeding, and looked to be half dead, when Morgan held the pistol up, cocked to fire. Louisa jumped forwards, at the same time Jamie reached them, and grabbed Morgan's gun hand, wrestling it away from Ranger.   
  
A shot went off, silencing the crowd of people. Louisa was as white as a ghost, Jamie looked stunned.   
  
*****  
  
A/N: a bit of a cliffhanger! I know, I'm sorry, it just seemed like a good time to make a cliff hanger. Besides, there's a show about to start on TV that I want to watch, and I can hardly see the computer screen. I'll write more tomorrow. 


	36. Chapter 36: It's funny how things happen

A/N: I just want to add that I'm sorry I haven't been updating as fast as what I probably could be, and yes I did leave it for ages and ages, but there was a virus going around and I didn't want to put my computer (which is actually my aunts) at risk. But there's no excuse for not actually writing more while I wasn't online. I'm sorry.  
  
Lilitaliandragon - I know they're corny nicknames, but that's what having a sugar high does to you. I only really use Louisa's though, unless it's Jamie talking about Will (Jr.)  
  
Chapter 35: It's funny how things happen  
  
Louisa was as white as a ghost, Jamie looked stunned. Morgan looked up with a surprised expression on his face. He let go of the gun, which landed with a thump on the floor, and glanced down. The large red stain was seeping across his side, colouring the otherwise brown material. He looked up, glanced at Jamie, who hadn't moved, and then at Louisa. "I'll be damned," he said, before his eyes rolled into the back of his head, and he fell to the floor.  
  
Jamie shook himself, and glanced at Louisa. She held the pistol limply with one hand, and seemed surprised herself. "I... I didn't..." she stammered, and dropped the gun away from her. It landed on the floor, and a shot went off, shattering the window above Ranger's head, causing him to duck in alarm. The women still in the room screamed, and ran for the door - Jack let them go without a backwards glance. Jamie picked up the gun Morgan had dropped, and found it too was loaded. "What? What's going on here?" he asked, turning to look at his father. Jack shrugged. "I didn't have a gun," he stated calmly.   
  
No one in the room spoke; not the Prince, not the other noblemen, not Will (sr.) or his son. Finally a small voice piped up, "I did it." Ranger looked as though he'd seen a ghost - "Ria?" he asked, and the small girl walked out from behind the curtain.  
  
There came the sound of several men's jaws hitting the ground, until finally the girl held out the gun. "I took your gun that was on the ship, because I knew I'd be scared with the other men. Then I saw him," she indicated to Morgan, "And I knew I couldn't go away because he was a bad man who took me away from you, and if you were here by yourself he would've tried to kill you. So I hit Mr. Gibbs on the head, and came back. I heard you and Mr. Sparrow talking about this party, so I headed here, and I saw you about to get shot, so I did what you would'a done for me."   
  
The room was silenced by the girl's confession, and some were shocked by the fact that she didn't sound as though she were sorry for what she'd done. Ranger couldn't say anything, and Maria looked at him as though they'd just spoken about going to Ireland. Maria held out the gun, which Ranger took from her gently, and then her hand. "Let's go, Raphaell."   
  
He took her hand, and the two headed past Louisa and Jamie, pausing only for Maria to give Louisa a hug. "You were nice to me," Maria whispered, and for Ranger to shake Jamie's hand. Jack raised his eyebrows as the two stopped in front of him, "You be goin' to Ireland, right?" he asked. Ranger laughed, "Seems like. Thanks for everything, Cap'n." Jack grinned, "See ya 'round, Wall."  
  
As soon as the two had left, Jack looked back at the crowd. "That's about all the excitement I can take for one night. Well, it's not really, but if we do anything else, His Highness here is gonna have a heart attack. Jamie, Louisa, Will... s... let's be goin'." He waited until the others were out of the room before turning back to the crowd. "Gentlemen, you'll always remember this as the day you survived a meeting with Captain Jack Sparrow."  
  
He pulled the doors closed as he left, bolting on the outside. It wasn't as though they had blocked every chance of escape, it was mainly just for the sake of it.   
  
Isabelle was just waking up when she heard the single gunshot, and the screams of the women inside the hall. She fought off every urge to run back up and see what was going on, calming herself with the knowledge that her head was hurting only because she'd been struck with an oar and her father was all right. She put the oar into the boat, and waited.   
  
Before long, they all came running down. Jamie had his arm around Louisa, half carrying her because of the corset. What surprised her, though, was the fact that Ranger wasn't with them. "Where's Ranger? Is he alright?" she asked her father as he began to pull the boat into the water. "He's fine, but he'll no longer be sailing with us." Will (Sr.) pushed the boat the last couple of feet as Jack jumped into the boat. Jamie was the last to jump in after practically throwing Louisa to Will (Jr.).   
  
When they reached the Pearl, Jack went straight back into pirate-captain-mode. "Bring out the long guns! Fire at will!" The cabin boy was running a pistol to Jack, when he tripped. The gun went off, hitting the deck between Will's (Jr.) feet. Jack slapped his hat onto his head, "Not *at* Will! Just fire the goddamn guns!"  
  
The crew did just that, causing half of Port Georgia to end up in flames. The Jolly Roger was raised, and the Black Pearl began to sail away. "Well," started Jamie, "That was fun." Louisa, who was standing the closest to Jamie, turned and slapped him. "What?" he protested, leaving the entire crew to start laughing. "I don't think I deserved *that*," he finished lamely, rubbing his cheek. Isabelle smiled, "Oh yes you did, brother."  
  
The next day, Isabelle found she was bruised where the corset had been, and she made a great ceremony of throwing the thing overboard. "I don't care if we're entertaining God himself, I'm never wearing that thing again," she said stubbornly; Jack started to say something, but was met with Isabelle's glare. "Don't you dare say a thing to me, Da, or else you will know the meaning of true pain, savvy?" she said angrily, and stalked away. "And how does she mean to do that without hurting herself in the process?" Jack asked himself, only to see what his daughter meant. Isabelle was standing near the edge of the ship, two rum bottles in her hands, dangling them over the side.   
  
In the end, the joke was on Jack, as the bottles were filled with water. It wasn't until that night before things got back to normal.   
  
Jack was at the helm, drunk and singing to himself. Jamie and Louisa were in the crow's nest, not looking out for anything at all. And Isabelle and Will (Jr.) were at the stern of the ship. Isabelle was standing right at the edge, Will behind her with his arms around her. "You know," started Isabelle softly, "It's funny how things happen." Will turned to look at her, "What do you mean?" he asked, and Isabelle laughed. "If I'd have gotten my way, I wouldn't have left the Triangle, but if I hadn't, I'd never had met you." She paused before adding softly, "It's a pity we're going to be separated before too long...." Will heard her say something, but wasn't sure what, "What did you say?" he asked, and Isabelle smiled. "Nothing," she said, and turned around completely to kiss him. "I didn't say anything."  
  
It was surprising that Jamie saw what he did, and it was even more surprising that he had the breath left to call down to the deck, "Land ho! Just off to starboard!" Will and Isabelle heard, and ran to ring the bell to wake the crew. Within minutes, everyone was on deck, looking at the mass of land that rose up out of nowhere. Jack grinned, "Now we jus' have to find the way inta the middle of the island - then, we'll find what we came 'ere for!"  
  
*****  
  
A/N: This is the third last chapter, but the second last chapter is 9 pages long, so I've divided it into three parts which will be posted one day at a time, before the Epilogue. And then I would have finally finished a story worth finishing...   
  
I'm starting a sequel, but I won't post it on fanfiction.net unless I get some interest. Otherwise, I'll email it to people who ask for it.... If you think I should post it, or if you'd prefer to be directly emailed, let me know. Thanks for reading! 


	37. Chapter 37: The Curse Part 1

2nd Last Chapter: The Curse (Part 1)  
  
The one way into the island wasn't hard to miss. It was a huge, black opening, littered with old ships, and wrecks, each with an air of disappointment about it. Jack was excited, but he was hiding a deeper fear. Only he knew how to break the curse, and only he had the power to command the ship be turned around. But it was too late for that now - the crew were ready, and they were strong, and there was a chance there was another way to break the curse.   
  
It had been a good thing that neither the cabin boy, nor Ducky, were able to read, as the cabin boy's papers told the true curse, and how it was broken, and both had had the papers in their possession at some point. Jack stood at the bow, leaving Will to steer the ship into the huge cavernous opening, papers in hand. He crumpled them with his left hand, letting his right hand rest on the railing of the ship. He waited until the Pearl was directly inside the island before he let them fall into the water below. "Now no one will know how to break the curse," he said quietly.   
  
The tunnelway wasn't very long, and it turned sharply to reveal a small, natural anchorage. Anchored, where it had been for many years, was the Spanish Rose.  
  
There, on the deck of the ship, at the bow, stood Captain Grey. His right hand was poised as though it were about to stab himself in the neck, only it was missing the knife, and a finger.  
  
Jack was the only one to step on board the Spanish Rose, and it creaked uninvitingly. The gold Captain Grey looked incomplete, without the knife, but there was something else missing. His left hand hung at his side, fist grasping something non-existent. "No," was the first thing Jack could bring himself to say, and even it was in a whisper. "No! What did ye do wi' it, ye old dog!" he said louder. He turned and faced the crew, still standing on the deck of the Pearl, "Take her to land! Find the Hand o' Midas - but don't ye touch it!"  
  
The crew didn't hesitate - they moved the Pearl closer to land, and Will was the first off. He watched as Jack walked over to the gold pirate captain, and paid homage, before placing the knife in it's old position in the captain's right hand. He stayed in silence for a minute, before taking a nearby rope, and swinging off to land near Will.  
  
Neither captain said anything, but each knowing what the other was thinking, they took a different direction each, and followed where the crew was already heading. Jamie and Will Jr were the last to leave the Pearl, as they were trying to convince Isabelle and Louisa to stay on board. "'Tis too dangerous for ye - when those dead men come back t' life, they willnae jus' go for the man who killed 'em!" Jamie was trying to reason with Louisa, who simply looked him in the eye, and retorted, "Aye? An' what o' the men *I've* killed, Jamie? I ain't a stranger t' killin' someone, an' I'd much rather be somewhere that there's a chnce for me t' lose 'em in the crowd, savvy?"  
  
Jamie couldn't think of a reply, and could only watch as the two girls pushed past, take a rope each, and swing to the ground. Jamie and Will didn't take any time to follow, and as soon as they saw the girls split up, they followed one each.   
  
Louisa headed towards the area where the majority of the crew was searching. Jamie followed, but rather half-heartedly. He'd much rather have put her in a place she could dodge, and go unnoticed, than to put her somewhere she'd only prove an easy target to attack.   
  
Isabelle headed away from the crew, towards where a large wooden cross rose above a ridge. On the other side of the ridge there was something made Isabelle stop in shock. Will, who was following her, stopped as well, but for some reason it didn't shock him as much as it shocked her. Below them, in a ditch, were piles of skeletons. They weren't the skeletons that could come to life and try to kill them all - they were the remains of people who'd tried to gain the Hand for themselves, and failed.   
  
Isabelle turned, and saw Will behind her. The pull of the Triangle was stronger than ever, and she knew the more time that passed, the less she'd be able to resist it. She turned back towards the skeletons, fighting the sick feeling that was steadily moving through her system. Armadaeus wrote about this - a valley of the dead - and only by crossing it could she find her way to the cavern that would lead her back to the Triangle.  
  
She pulled the papers from her belt, trying to make heads or tails of the writing. It seemed to be fading, and she tried to smooth it out in her hands to be able to read it better. Will walked up to her, and laid a hand on her shoulder. She jumped, almost overbalancing into the ditch. "What do ye think you're doin'? You'll be safer back at the Pearl, Isabelle!" She stood her ground, "I don't want to be 'safe', Will! What I want... what I want is to go home, back to the Triangle where I belong, savvy?"  
  
Will grabbed both of her shoulders, forcing her to look at him. "Isabelle, you belong *here*, on the Isle, with the Pearl, with the Dauntless... with me." Isabelle dropped her gaze, and spoke softly, "I'm sorry, Will, but I belong in the Triangle..." She swung her arms up, and out, shaking herself from his grip, and pushing him over the edge of the ditch. He landed heavily, sending dried bones scattering. Isabelle watched him for a minute, fighting to get out of the tangle of rotting clothing, before running along the top of the ridge, in the direction marked on the papers. The Triangle called to her, pulled her back. She was close to home.  
  
*****  
  
Jack was the one to find the Hand. It was placed so it was the hand of a statue, on a small area of upraised ground. At the base was the skeleton of a monkey, and Jack laughed, "So that's how it got back to here." Before he touched the hand, though, he caught the crew's attention, and yelled for them to make ready. For a minute, Jack didn't touch it, and the crew stood on the defensive, waiting for whatever it was that was going to happen. Jack picked up the Hand by the wooden base. Nothing happened. Some of the men went as far to lower their weapons.  
  
Jack made as though to say something at the same time the caverns exploded with activity. The ditches filled with the bones of the men who'd tried and failed erupted into walls of fire, sending dried bones flying. From these fiery pits walked the decaying skeletons, armed to the teeth.  
  
Jack and Will didn't move. They looked at one another, faces blank, while the crew ran into the approaching skeletons, swords drawn. At the same time, Jack and Will grinned, and jumped from the raised area, joining the crew in the fight.  
  
Moments before the first swords clashed, Jack wondered if he'd made a mistake by not telling anyone the conditions of the only known way to break the curse. There *has* to be another way, he though, blocking a particularly violent blow from a skeleton that seemed somewhat familiar. Blinking twice, he realised the skeleton was, in fact, Barbossa. "Thought ye'd be rid o' me forever, did ye Jack?" Barbossa asked, continuing his frenzied attack. Jack couldn't help but back away, unable to take the offensive. "Aye, in actual fact, I did!" he replied, turning on the spot in time to decapitate a skeleton intent of taking a piece out of Jamie, and returning to his own duel, now on the offensive.   
  
*****  
  
Meanwhile, Will Jr had only just managed to pull himself out of the ditch of bones, when it exploded into fire behind him. He covered his head and headed towards the top of the ridge and the direction Isabelle had taken. Hearing a strange clicking sound behind him, he turned in time to duck as a skeleton took a swing at his head. Pulling out his sword, he swung it with all the force he could muster, catching the skeleton's spine.   
  
The sword sliced cleanly through the bone, so there were two parts lying on the ground. More of the clicking noises came from the direction of the fire, and ten to fifteen more skeletons appeared, at the same time the first one pulled itself back together. Will waited until it was standing before kicking it into the hoards that were steadily approaching, knocking them back down into the ditch, before he ran back up to the top and along the ridge towards Isabelle. 


	38. Chapter 38: The Curse Part 2

2nd last chapter: The Curse (Part 2)  
  
Louisa found herself in an enclosed space, and at once waves of claustrophobia washed over her. The skeletons were everywhere, and as she was unarmed, she couldn't do a thing to help. She saw the handle of an old sword underneath the form of a skeleton, and grasped it, only to almost drop it again when she saw the skeleton was one of the living ones, and holding onto the other end. She kicked it in the spine, pushing it back and into the chaos of the battle. It let go of the sword blade as it fell, and the force that it let go with almost caused her to let go again.  
  
Another skeleton, noticing Louisa standing near the wall of the cavern, moved in. Picking up the sword as though it were a plank, like in their games as children, she waiting until the skeleton was within striking distance, and swung. The skull flew across the cavern, shattering against the head of another not too far away. The heavy dress she was wearing was making it hard to move quickly, so she pulled it off, leaving only the light shift she wore underneath.  
  
Knowing she had to get away from the corner, she took a breath and dived into the midst of the fight. There was so much confusion that the skeletons were beginning to fight amongst themselves. Louisa found a spot in the middle of the cavern, with a slight elevation, and looked around for someone she knew - namely Jamie, but if it had been Will or Elizabeth she wouldn't have complained. Hearing a shout, she turned to see Jack and Jamie fighting back-to-back, surrounded by skeletons. Best not to bother *them*, she mused, and ducking out a skeleton's way she looked for her father or brother. Her father was fighting off skeletons, sending bones and skulls flying, so he was definitely in control of the situation, but Isabelle and Will were nowhere to be seen.  
  
Jack knew Jamie was skilled with a sword, but had never actually seen him in the midst of a full-blown fight - even though he himself had taught him. Their movements were matched perfectly, and the impact with which they struck caused the same amount of damage. Jamie, however, also had the gift, or curse, of youthful enthusiasm on his side, and many of his steps were obviously restrained.  
  
There was a slight lull in activity, which Jack used to have a discussion with his son. He and Jamie still circled, back to back, but each holding their energy in. Jamie spoke up first, "Ye said ye knew of one way t' break this curse - what th' hell is it?" Jack mentally punched himself. "There was a reason I didn't tell ye, Jamie-boy." Jamie laughed, "Aye, well, there's a reason I want to know, Da. Are ye gonna tell me, or shall I force it outa ye?" Jack sighed, "Fine, I'll tell ye - the only known way t; break the curse is fer someone t' kill themselves as payment for all the murders done. Ye see why I didn't say?"  
  
Jamie stopped, shocked, and Jack bumped into him. "Then why th' hell are we here if ye don't know any other way t' break it?" Jack shrugged, "'Tis an adventure, Jamie-boy. 'Tis an adventure." Jamie said nothing, just continued to mirror his father's steps as the skeletons bashed into them again.  
  
Will Sr. was fighting with a smile on his face, confident in the knowledge that he could smash a skeleton's skull with one blow, leaving the body to attack whatever it bumped into. One was still happily hacking away at a wooden beam, sending wooden splinters flying. He saw Louisa make it to the middle of the cavern, and stop. Every part of him, as a father, wanted to run over, to protect her, but he knew if he did, one of them would be distracted, hurt, and possibly killed.  
  
Another skeleton barged into him from behind, knocking him into the start of a single-file line of skeletons. It caused a domino effect, and there was a long line of fallen skeletons leading away from him. He ducked as another skeleton swung a sword at his head, coming up on the other side to slice it cleanly in half.   
  
*****  
  
Will had some difficulty in finding Isabelle. The ridge led along to where the one main cavern branched into caves - three of them, to be exact. The stony ground made it almost impossible to track someone by footsteps, so Will looked around for something else to tell him which way Isabelle had gone.   
  
The middle cave was marked on the wall, where someone had torn a torch from it's hinges, but Will didn't look for obvious signs - there was no way for Isabelle to *light* the torch, so why should she need it? Will stepped into the middle cavern, and wasn't surprized to see it lying, half-hidden, just a few steps inside. He glanced at the right cave, and saw a piece of her heavy blue dress snagged on a jagged rock. Shaking his head, he ventured just inside to find her entire dress stuffed into a small crevice. Not following the right cave either, he ventured into the left cave and started to follow the rocky pathway.  
  
It was hard going, but he felt, rather than saw, that Isabelle was at the end of the path. Hearing the clicking noises reach the start of the caves, Will hurried his pace, feeling his way along in the dark, anxious to find Isabelle before the skeletons did.   
  
Isabelle hadn't wanted to push Will, or to hurt him, but the pull of the triangle was too strong. It called to her, reeling her towards it. she knew how horrible the place was, how dank and dreary, but not even the fact that it scared her father could change the fact that she had to get back - her ties to it were too strong.  
  
She reached the end of the cave to find a river of fire. "No!" she yelled in despair - she had to get across, to the cave entrance on the other side. Through that, and along the passage, and she'd reach an opening into the Triangle - proving that Armadaeus' journals were correct.  
  
At that single moment, when she felt she could never get across, the ties almost seemed broken, but then she noticed the narrow stone bridge and the pull became stronger than ever. Before she had a chance to move towards it, though, she heard something behind her. When she turned, she could just make out Will further back in the cave. Damn, she thought, the decoys didn't work. She took one last look towards Will, and headed for the bridge, not caring that her shift kept snagging on the rocks.   
  
*****  
  
Louisa didn't like to remember the first man she'd killed. He'd been a big man, drunk, and fair determined that she'd been a whore.  
  
~Flashback~  
  
He towered over her, reeking of rum and ale, more than capable of knocking her unconscious, if not killing her, with one blow. He was also very convinced that she was a whore in Tortuga. "What? Ye think yeself too good fer me, do ye lassie? Ye ain't too good fer Bootstrap's bed though, are ye?" Louisa was mortified, "Bootstrap is my *father*, you pig! I'm no whore, an' I ain't even been in Tortuga afore now!"  
  
The man merely laughed, and lunged at Louisa. Will (Sr.) had no real way of getting to his daughter, but still, he tried, ending up wedged between the bar, and a mob of brawling men. Louisa felt for her knife, pulling it out at the same time the man tripped, and fell, taking the knife with him. Louisa screamed, and the man was revealed to have taken the knife under the ribs. There was nothing that could have been done; the man was dead by the following night.  
  
~End flashback~  
  
"'Member me, lassie? Ye still ain't too good fer Bootstrap, are ye? Well, *I'm* too good fer ye, now, an' seein' as ye killed me, I think I should return th' favor, aye?" The man had managed to find Louisa in the midst of the crowd, and he was set for revenge. Louisa steeled herself, took aim with the sword in her by-now-usual manner, and swung. The man merely blocked the blow with his arm, and held up the sword he was carrying. Louisa tried to back off, but found her way blocked by a thick, wooden pillar. The skeleton advanced, lifting his sword, closing in, preparing for the blow. It all seemed as though it were in slow motion; Louisa spoke a quick prayer in her mind, closing her eyes against the flash of silver from the sword... but it never came.  
  
When she dared to open her eyes, she saw the now-headless skeleton moving around, arm's outstretched, as though looking for it's head. The head in question was in the hands of Jamie. He leaned on his sword, throwing and catching the skull with one hand as though it were a ball. But he didn't see the skeleton behind him.... Louisa paled, "Look out!" she yelled, and Jamie turned in time to duck as the skeleton swung a heavy club directly where Jamie's head had been. He glanced at the skull of the big man, still in his hand, and without warning, smashed it into the skeleton, which was regrouping for another attack.   
  
Both skulls shattered, and the remaining bodies bumped into one another, automatically fighting the other, thinking it were an attacker. The skeleton with the skull swung, and the big man fell back, knocking both Louisa and Jamie to the ground. Louisa, by sheer coincidence, ended up on top of Jamie. "Well, this is... interesting," he quipped, sounding a lot more like his father than he would have realized. Louisa laughed, "Well, ye could've chosen a more appropriate, and convenient time for it, couldn't ye?"  
  
Jamie shrugged, and for a moment, time seemed to stand still. Louisa dared to say the first word, "Well..." but trailed off, not wanting to break the moment. Jamie, acting extraordinarily like his father, suddenly found that his hands were at Louisa's ribs, and he dared to slip them lower. Louisa slapped his chest lightly, and Jamie managed a slight chuckle before paling, and rolling them both over, as a skeleton fell where they'd been lying. "That was close," he managed, and before long, both were back on their feet. Looking around, they noticed Jack and Will fighting together.   
  
It was easy to see how much they trusted one another by how they fought. Whenever one left a block open, the other was there to cover it; whenever one left themselves unguarded, the other rectified it. Some moves seemed almost nervous, for both parties, as though they weren't sure of their own abilities, but the underlying trust was there.  
  
Louisa looked at Jamie, who nodded, and they pushed their way through the crowd until they reached Jack and Will. The two pirate captains finished off the two skeletons they were fighting by simultaneously sending their skulls flying through the air, before turning to the two teenagers. "Where's Bella?" asked Jack before anyone had a chance to say anything else. He looked from Louisa to Jamie, and added, "...and Will? Where are they?" Louisa shook her head, "I don't know. We split up, an' Will went after Isabelle. I don't know where they went to, though, I got a bit... distracted."  
  
Jack looked around, but couldn't see either of them. Will sent a look to Louisa, which clearly read, 'we'll talk later,' and looked to Jack. "She'll be fine, Jack. But if ye don' tell us how t' break this bloody curse, I'll kill ye myself!" Jack shook his head, still holding onto the golden Hand. "I can't tell ye that, Will. But we gotta clear these men outa here, an' back t' the ships, if we can't find *another* way t' *stop* this infernal curse!"  
  
*****  
  
Will Jr. reached the end of the cave at the same time Isabelle reached the start of the bridge. "Isabelle!" he yelled, and ran towards her. She paused, and Will could see she was torn between going after the Triangle, and staying. The papers were in her hand, and the writing was faded to almost unreadable. She took one, tentative, step onto the bridge, and several of the stones in the middle moved warningly. Will stopped, a few meters from her. "Isabelle, we can fight this, together, just trust me! Come back, please... I love you!"  
  
Isabelle looked at the other side, but pulled back from the ties with a burst of energy, falling onto Will. Neither said anything; Will dropped his sword, pulling Isabelle into an embrace, dropping his mouth to hers. When they pulled apart, Isabelle made as though to say something, but didn't have the chance as a skeleton bashed Will over the head, heading for Isabelle. "Ye've got my map, lass, an' I'd like ye t' gi'e it back." Isabelle backed up, near the edge of the ravine. "You're... you're Armadaeus..." she managed, and the skeleton laughed. "Aye, that's be me. Now, give me my map!"  
  
He lunged at her, at the same moment Will pushed him over the edge. As soon as he hit the flames, an explosion rocked the entire cavern, sending fire shooting up from the already flaming river. Two things happened, which neither was sure if they were good or bad. The explosion sucked the map and other papers from Isabelle's hands, and the sheer heat caused the bridge to collapse. Isabelle lunged for the papers, with an anguished "No!" before they hit the heat, but Will held her back.   
  
She was hysterical, she could hardly talk clearly, and the pull of the Triangle hit her in one big wave. She turned around, and caught Will in a hug, still sobbing.  
  
*****  
  
The explosion hadn't just been felt by Isabelle and Will; the main cavern rocked, and parts of the cavern roof caved in. Jack held onto his hat, Will braced himself, and Louisa clung to Jamie. Both father's saw, and exchanged glances. Once he was moderately sure the earthquake had stopped, Jack spoke up, "I don't know what *that* was, but it weren't good!"   
  
Will nodded in agreement, and looked at his daughter. Louisa remembered she was holding onto Jamie, and let go, almost overbalancing in the process.   
  
*****  
  
A/N: A note to all those who either emailed or reviewed regarding the sequel. I've decided to post it on here, as it will make it easier to keep track of everything, and i won't forget to email a chapter to someone as i go. Thanks for taking the time out to let me know.... 


	39. Chapter 39: The Curse Part 3

2nd last chapter: The curse (Part 3)  
  
The clicking noises stopped, temporarily, and Isabelle tried to keep holding on to Will. She felt as though she were swimming upstream towards a waterfall. The map was gone, the only way across the flaming river was gone, and still the Triangle pulled. She was so close, yet so far away.   
  
Will could feel her stress, and whispered, "I know how much ye need to get back, and we'll find another way in, I promise." Isabelle pulled back a little, to look at Will. "We? What do ye mean by 'we'?" Will smiled, "We. You need t' get back, an' I need you. I'm going with you, the whole way." Isabelle pulled him closer, kissed him softly, and pulled the pistol from his belt at the same time. He didn't notice anything until he heard Isabelle whisper, "I'm so sorry, Will, but I love you too much to let you go through that."  
  
Will made as though to say something, but didn't have a chance, as Isabelle brought the butt of the pistol down on his head, stunning him enough for him to drop to the ground.   
  
*****  
  
Jamie and Louisa ended up separated from Jack and Will, and underneath the bow of the Spanish Rose, almost well out of the way of danger (a skeleton did come looking, occasionally). They had no way of getting out safely at that moment, and the two captain's would probably have tried to decapitate them themselves if they even thought about it. What it did give them time for, was to finish their earlier conversation. Jamie pushed the last skeleton back out into the fight, and turned to Louisa, who was pushed through a leafy bush by a member of the crew, just in time to catch her as she fell.  
  
Caught off-guard, both fell, landing in much the same position that they'd landed earlier. Jamie was the first to speak, "What was it ye were sayin' 'bout chooin' a more appropriate time?" he asked, and Louisa laughed. "Well, this is hardly more appropriate, but it is a lot more convenient!" Jamie raised his eyebrows, and Louisa leaned in closer. Jamie shifted his gaze from Louisa, to the opening where the skeletons came in, as though he'd seen something. Louisa jumped, but when she realized he was only joking, she blushed. "Ye shouldn't have done that, Jamie," she said, and he only laughed, seeming to pull her closer yet again. "Oh, well," he started, but abruptly stopped when Louisa flipped them so that Jamie was on top.   
  
With a grin, Louisa grabbed the back of his head and pulled his mouth down on hers, not caring if anyone saw. This was their time, and no one could tell them what they could and could not do.  
  
Jack, outside the opening, saw the exchange and grinned, before changing his position so Will couldn't see in. He glanced over his shoulder on occasion, to see if they could rejoin the fight, and eventually gave up, leaving them to their own devices. Heaven help ye, Jamie, if Will catches ye, he thought, jumping in front of a skeleton that'd seen the opening.   
  
When Louisa and Jamie broke off their kiss, it felt as though the world started spinning again (as usual), and that they'd come back to earth. Louisa spoke first, "P'raps we'd best get back t' the fight," she said after a pause. Jamie nodded, "Aye, p'raps we'd best." Since Jamie was on top, he stood first, before helping Louisa up. She stood, smoothing down the front of her shift, even though it would have taken a lot more than that to fix it up, considering all the rips and snags in the material. Jamie stepped closer, kissed Louisa lightly, and together they headed back into the battle once a section was cleared.   
  
There were still several skeletons to every man, though some of them were headless, and some fought amongst themselves due to a lack of living men to fight. One headless skeleton still hacked away at a wooden beam. Jack glanced at Will, who'd seen the final kiss, and wondered, briefly, if he approved of the couple or not. He didn't have time to think on the point, though, as his attention was reverted to the battle when a skeleton took a swing at his head.   
  
Will Jr. was only stunned temporarily, and when he staggered to his feet, what he saw scared him more than any amount of un-killable skeletons ever could. Isabelle stood at the edge of the ravine, directly across from the cave that led to an entrance to the Bermuda Triangle. She had tears running down her face, but she was smiling. Will couldn't move; he stood where he was and simply watched. Isabelle whispered, "I love you," before she turned and stepped off the edge of the ravine.   
  
Will found his feet and ran to the edge. "Isabelle!" he yelled, kneeling by the edge, looking over. Through the fire, he saw her. She was on fire, her shift almost glowing against the deep red of the flames. Her dark hair was a burning halo around her face. Her arms were outstretched, hiding nothing from him, and he was the last thing she saw.   
  
She didn't feel the heat, didn't feel the pain. She refused to look towards the cave - the Triangle could find someone else to pull towards it - Will didn't deserve to live his life searching for the Triangle with her - it was too terrible a fate for someone she loved so much.  
  
In the main cavern, the skeletons stopped suddenly. There was a slight pause, before they all collapsed into dust. Jack, who knew the curse, dismissed the first thought to go through his head, and wondered about a possible second way of lifting it. Jamie and Louisa looked around for Jack, and headed over to where the captain was now staring at the golden hand he held. Will dropped his sowrd, and looked around for his son.   
  
The four, who were uninjured, helped the wounded crewmembers to their feet, and prepared the dead for burial. According to the code that Will set down for his crew, every man who died was worth 1000 gold pieces, to be paid to his family in the course of one year. Many men had died, in both crews, but they deserved a better burial than to be dumped onto the piles of skeletons.  
  
The fires burned down to nothing, all embers and coals were non-existent. Will stayed where he was kneeling, long after Isabelle had disappeared from sight, long after the fires disappeared. When he noticed the flames were gone, he slid down the side of the ravine, and scrambled over the skeletons, until he reached where Isabelle had landed. There was no trace of her left - not a bone, or a fragment of her clothing, nothing. Will almost gave up hope, until he saw the faint glint of something gold amongst the scorched bones. He moved a skull to reveal a golden hair clip.  
  
~Flashback~  
  
Isabelle stood in front of the small mirror in the cabin, fixing her hair. She'd removed the bandana, and a small glint of gold shone against her dark hair. Will, standing in the doorway, pointed it out. "What's the gold in your hair?" he asked, and Isabelle self-consciously reached a hand back to touch the clip. "Da gave it to me when I was little," she said, refastening the bandana back over the top of it. "I've ne'er actually shown anyone, afore now. Not even ma'ma."   
  
Will walked over to the mirror. "Why not? Ye should leave your hair out o' the scarf more often, so people can see." Isabelle dropped her hands, and shook her head. "I've ne'er shown anyone because it's the only thing Da's given t' me. Everything else has been a half-share wi' Jamie, or ma'ma. This is special - it means he really does care 'bout me." Will smiled, "He always cares 'bout ye. Why else would he have insisted that ye stay at the Isle? But, I see what you're sayin' 'bout it bein' special. Louisa has a necklace that Da gave her, an' she ne'er takes it off - it keeps ye linked to him, aye?"  
  
Isabelle nodded, "Aye. When I wear this, it means that he ain't too far away, an' that I'll ne'er forget him, no matter what happens."  
  
~End Flashback~  
  
He picked up the clip, polishing away the ash and grime that coated it. Why hadn't it melted? The heat was enough to leave no trace of Isabelle, and yet it had spared the fragile gold clip?  
  
~Flashback~  
  
Louisa and Will sat on the swing on the verandah, "Everyone leaves something behind when they die - it's for the one that care for most, who they know will find it, to show that even though they're gone, they'll always be around," read Louisa from her book. She glanced at Will, "What do ye think?" she asked, and Will shrugged. "That sounds 'bout right, I guess. But how would that work if there was more than one person they cared about?" Louisa shrugged, turning back to her book. "I guess that it'd be meant for the person who could find it, or the person who needed it most, aye?"  
  
~End Flashback~  
  
Will stood and walked, very slowly, back to the side of the ravine. He didn't remember climbing out, or walking back through the caves, and by the time he reached where the cavern branched into the three caves, he didn't care to remember anything at all.  
  
*****  
  
In the main cavern, Jack was getting worried, though he didn't mention it. Neither Will (Jr.) or Isabelle had been amongst the wounded, neither had they been amongst the dead. A shout from one of the crewmembers brought everyone's attention to where Will was walking. He wasn't hurt, but he carried the expression only those who have witnessed the death of someone they cared about. Jack couldn't move, couldn't talk; he was frozen to the spot, and had to check if he hadn't turned himself to gold.   
  
No one spoke; they looked at Will, who kept walking, coming to a stop in front of Jack. He held out his closed fist and handed something to the captain. Jack looked down to see the hair clip. It felt as though his whole world had come crashing down around him, but the roar that filled his ears wasn't enough to block out what Will was saying.   
  
"She... she had a map, showing a way back to the Triangle, and she... she had to go back," Will was interrupted by Jamie, "So, she went back to the Triangle? We can still get her back, right?" Will swallowed the lump in his throat and shook his head. "The explosion destroyed the map, and the only way across the fire.... She... I told her I'd go with her, and we'd find another way into the Triangle, together, but... she... she said she loved me too much to let me go through that, and she... she jumped. She walked into the fire...."  
  
The roaring noise in Jack's head grew louder, and nothing registered except the fact that his little girl was gone. Jamie jumped forwards, intent on killing his friend, "You... bastard! How could ye let her do that!" Will (Sr.) held him back, though it didn't really register what he was doing. Louisa went through the entire range of emotions - disbelief, shock, anger. Finally, she dropped to her knees, unable to stop the tears. The entire crew was touched by how much the Captain's daughter had meant to them, and many went back to work to try and hide their own feelings.   
  
*****  
  
It wasn't until the Pearl was underway that the reality actually set in for Will (Jr.). He was in the crow's nest - the crew had let him take the place, though it was highly doubted that he'd actually be on the lookout for anything. A noise caused him to jump, and he turned to see Jack standing behind him. He looked nervous, and Will looked at his feet. "I'm sorry I couldn't save her... I tried, God knows I tried." Jack didn't say anything for a while, until he spoke finally, still looking out to sea. "Ye couldn't have saved her, even if ye'd jumped yeself. Bella was always stubborn, an' once she got an idea into her head, ye couldn't budge it. I'm... I'm glad she had someone with her who loved her." He paused, and looked at his hands, before turning and holding out something wrapped in brown paper. "This belongs to you - she meant for ye to have it, I know." Jack waited until Will took the package, before climbing back down to the deck.   
  
Will unwrapped it carefully, revealing the gold clip. Tears sprung to his eyes, and he didn't try to fight them off. "Thank ye, Cap'n," he whispered, and wrapped the clip back up inside the paper, returning staring out at the ocean.   
  
Jack retreated to the stern of the ship. He stared into the water, holding the gold sphere in one hand, the paper print he'd made in the other. It seemed like the end of a lifetime, one that he shouldn't have seen. Not taking his eyes off the ocean below, he crumpled the papers and let them float down to the ocean. He glanced at the gold sphere, "Grey, ye didn't go t' enough trouble t' get us t' turn back," he mumbled, and with all his effort, threw the sphere skyward. It made one golden arc as it fell, before landing in the water with a splash. The water bubbled, but the sphere was gone. Jack didn't take his eyes off it once.   
  
*****  
  
A/N: Sorry if I made anyone cry, but she *did* save everyone....  
  
The Epilogue is still to come, so stick with me. Any flames, coals, etc, i don't care. I'm still crying over the end! The sequel is definately being posted on fanfiction.net, and it's not far away! 


	40. Epilogue: Not all treasure is silver and...

A/N: For those who weren't quite sure, Isabelle died. She didn't make it to the cave across the ravine, and she was the one who broke the curse. She died willingly, at her own hand (in a way), and saved everyone else.   
  
Epilogue: Not all treasure is silver and gold  
  
The people in the village met the return of the Black Pearl with both apprehension and excitement. If the voyage had gone to plan, then the two pirate captains would have achieved what so many had died trying to do. Even if they hadn't succeeded, the ship had returned, and that feat in itself was rarely heard of after a voyage to find the Hand of Midas.  
  
No other ship had gone out after the big storm, so there was the full population of the village waiting when the Pearl arrived. The two flags were flying - the Jolly Roger, and the black flag - as a sign of victory - but the ship itself seemed weighed down with a sadness that reached all present.   
  
As usual, the first to leave the ship were the captains, this time followed by the cabin boy carrying a solid gold box. Behind them walked Will, Jamie, and Louisa; the rest of the crew left in dribs and drabs. No one spoke.  
  
At the house, Anamaria and Elizabeth waited in silence for their families. They sat on the veranda of the house, neither daring to say anything.   
  
Jack and Will were the first to come into view, and Anamaria would have jumped up if Elizabeth hadn't laid her hand on her friend's arm. Something is wrong, she thought. She knew her husband, and he wouldn't have looked like that if everything was fine.   
  
When everyone came into view, Anamaria felt her throat close up, and her heart fall to the pit of her stomach. Isabelle wasn't there. She looked at Jack, who looked away. Elizabeth ushered everyone inside, leaving Jack and Anamaria on the veranda.   
  
Only then did Anamaria find herself able to speak, "Where... where's Isabelle? Did... did she stay in the village?" Jack shook his head, still not able to meet her eyes. "She... she's... did... she's gone, Ana." Anamaria took a step back, fighting off tears. "Gone? On another ship, you mean? She ran away - trying to get back through the Triangle? That's what you mean by 'gone'... right?"  
  
Jack didn't answer straight away; he looked out at the ocean - somehow it didn't seem the same anymore. "She wanted to go back to the Triangle, she even had the instructions tellin' her how to... but they were destroyed," Jack paused, trying to clear his throat, to keep talking, to say what he didn't want to be true. "She... she said she couldn't live outside the Triangle any more... that... that even when she was with us, it called to her... she saved the lives of the crew... but... she's dead...."  
  
Now he'd actually said it out loud, it seemed to become true. Anamaria didn't try to hold back her tears - she stepped forwards, closing the gap between them, and caught him in a hug. Jack hugged her back, and couldn't stop the tears that ran down his own face.  
  
Inside, Will told Elizabeth what had happened, and she too started crying. Louisa ran out the back door, with Jamie in pursuit. Neither would come back until the following night.  
  
Anamaria and Jack didn't speak for a long time, even after their tears had run out, and the afternoon sun had faded into night. Only then did Jack whisper, "Not all treasure is silver and gold... and that's the treasure I want back...."  
  
*****  
  
A/N: I'm crying... anyway, the sequel will be posted, and it's called 'Life After Death'. The first chapter will probably go up within the week. 


End file.
